


Lost Souls

by LadyDragoncat



Category: Dragonball Z
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-05-21 04:20:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14908217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDragoncat/pseuds/LadyDragoncat
Summary: This is a saga of two people separated from the lives they once had. One struggles to remember, while the other struggles to forget.This takes place after the Buu Saga, when everyone is revived and trying to live normal lives. Emphasis on TRYING...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> While this story is NOT A CROSSOVER, there may be some bits and pieces that ... resemble ... the Inu-Yasha series. And expect some mature content in later chapters.
> 
> This story can also be seen in Fanfiction.net under Dragoncat. But as long as you're here, enjoy! And, as always, comments are appreciated.
> 
> And now, I am proud to present...

_**CHAPTER ONE** _

 

“What in the world…?”

 

Mari stared in disbelief and horror as she approached the Labyrinth Canyon.

 

It was the perfect place for her to be away from the people who filled her heart with pain and misery on a daily basis. When she first came here, with its gigantic rock formations creating a natural maze, it was ideal for someone trying to escape. And in one particular spot she had found an opening that led to a deep cave that seemed to welcome her as home sweet home. She christened it as her secret sanctuary, and it became her best link to sanity.

 

But now, when she needed it most, it looked as though someone had dropped a bomb there. Thankfully, just a small area had been hit; but, judging from her distant view, it looked as though it was close to her sanctuary. After she waited a few minutes, she didn’t hear any more explosions. She started her car and slowly drove to her destination, and prayed that home away from home was still intact.

 

She drove deeper into the canyon, and soon found the path littered with rocks and boulders that weren’t there before. So she capsulated her car and continued on foot. She had to check on her cave. She invested so much into that little piece of real estate. And if it had indeed been destroyed, then she would just have to start over elsewhere. But she had to see the damage for herself. Not knowing would not ease her mind. Not knowing was what brought her here in the first place.

 

Mari continued down the path, walking around the boulders, and soon she stopped by the river that flowed near her cave. It’s one of the reasons she liked coming here. It’s a good source of freshwater from the Ice Alps further north, fish swam there, and she could see her little private cove where she bathed in peace. ( _Well, at least that’s still intact._ ) She was about to continue down the path when a bright sparkle caught here eye. It appeared to be just a few feet away from her cove. She never noticed that sparkle there before, so she gave in to her curious impulse and checked it out. What she found there was a small orange orb. She picked it up, dusted off its surprisingly smooth surface, and saw four red stars inside it. She decided to keep the orb. If she did have to start over elsewhere, at least she’d have a souvenir to remind her of her times here.

 

When she reached her sanctuary a minute later, she found it safe and sound, despite a few extra rocks here and there. The bomb, or whatever it was, landed a good distance away, and the nearby rock formations shielded her cave from the blast. Needless to say, she was very relieved. But before she settled in, she decided to have a look at the bomb site, just out of sheer curiosity.

 

When she approached the bomb site, she wondered what kind of bomb it really was. Mari may not be a world-renown scientist, but she figured when a bomb lands in an area like this, the impacting explosion would scatter the debris for miles, leaving a huge crater. Instead, whatever landed there caused the debris to collapse in a pile on top of itself. Maybe the bomb was a dud. Then again, there are probably lots of underground caves here, so maybe it was just erosion doing its thing.

 

She began to feel a little weary from all the walking she’s done, so she decided to count her blessings and return to her cavern.

 

And that’s when she saw some boulders move.

 

Feeling her heart jump from fright, she ducked behind a nearby rock formation that miraculously withstood the commotion. If she’s lucky, whatever it is will leave without seeing her. She carefully peeked over to see what was emerging from the huge rocks.

 

Whatever it was, it looked…human?

 

It’s hard to tell from where she was, but after the figure crawled out from under the rocks, it stood and barely managed to walk a couple of steps before it collapsed on the rocks. It did not get back up again.

 

Mari took a few breaths to calm herself.  Someone…was…in there…when it had collapsed? She’s never seen anyone else here before. How could anyone survive being buried under such huge boulders?

 

Mari was not considered to be extremely social. She kept to herself, and had very good reasons to do so. So for her to just walk up to a total stranger is completely unlike her. Nevertheless, someone was injured and needed help. And right now, she was the only one who can do that. After she took one more deep breath, she willed herself to approach the victim, hoping to remember everything she ever learned about first-aid.

 

After maneuvering past some boulders, she made her way to the injured person. “Hello…? Hello, there. Can you hear me?”

 

She kept her bag close to her as she cautiously came closer to what was definitely an injured man. Compared to most men she’s met, this guy was a giant. His jet-black hair was in a hairstyle she’s never seen before; she has never seen hair spiked like that. His clothes – or what was left of them – just barely covered his hips and upper thighs. And despite the bruises and deep cuts, he has the body of a Greek/Roman god.

 

Unfortunately, one of those deep cuts was on his head. There’s a lot of blood on the stone his head was on. It must have taken everything he had just to make his way out of the rubble.

 

Mari tried again. “Hello? Can you hear me?”

 

He was definitely unconscious.  Mari was cautious to avoid the hole he crawled out of as she crouched down to slowly place two fingers on his neck. ( _Such dense muscles, they’re rock hard!_ ) Somehow, she managed to find a pulse. He’s alive, but he still needed medical attention.

 

She got her capsule case from her bag and chose a hover-car. The car she used earlier was not designed to run over boulders. Now came the hard part: hauling this huge, muscular giant of a man inside. Mari was no stranger to manual labour. For years, she worked hard doing her chores…and other people’s chores, but there’s no way she could move this body on her own…not without doing something rather drastic.

 

After taking a quick glance around to make certain no one else was looking, she clasped her hands together and concentrated. Suddenly, the unconscious body rose from the ground and floated to the car. Mari squeezed her hands tighter, putting all her concentration into carefully placing him into the backseat. If she dropped him, she could make his injuries worse.

 

With the injured man safe in the hover car, Mari fell on her knees, weakened momentarily. She caught her breath, only to deal with a throbbing headache. Using that technique takes a lot out of her. She grabbed her bag to get some aspirin and a bottle of water. Two minutes later, she was in the car, driving to the nearest village over thirty miles to the north-west.

 

**A FEW HOURS LATER…**

 

Itlaia Village is located in a lush valley just minutes away from the Ice Alps. At first glance, the village appears to be a simple, quiet little place; not like the huge metropolis cities with their tall buildings and elevated roadways. In fact, Italia Village was the kind of place one could go to get away from such things, to be free from the grip of advanced technology. With, however, one notable exception…

 

The biggest building in the village is Italia Hospital, a white ten-storey building as big as a metropolitan city block. It is one of the few places in the village to remind people of the advanced technology available to the world today. Mari was not a total stranger to this village. It’s a good place to shop for supplies while staying at her sanctuary. It’s also the only hospital closest to where Mari found the injured giant. What better place to take him?

 

The injured man, known as John Doe for now, was being treated by the doctors while Mari waited in the lobby. Even though she never saw this man before, she can’t help but want to make sure that he’ll be okay. But a big part of her wanted to get back to her cave in the Labyrinth Canyon, mainly because she was being stared at by everyone in or near the lobby. She read a novel she carried in her bag, but she felt the stares. She could even sense the glances from the hospital staff walking by, getting a glimpse of this strange girl.

 

It wasn’t the clothes she wore that people found strange about her. In fact, the wide-legged denim jeans and the purple, waffle-stitch V-neck sweater looked rather nice. It was her face that grabbed people’s attention. Her black sunglasses didn’t completely hide the marks that seemed to flow down her right cheek.

 

Mari continued to read her book. She wasn’t here to show off her face.

 

Her ugly, hideous face...

 

“Umm…Excuse me, Miss Kanata?”

 

Mari looked up from her book to see Dr. Pinocher, one of the doctors examining the giant she brought in.  He had such a young face for a doctor; he looked more like a surfer than a doctor. All the other doctors she encountered in her life were more her father’s age, and they were very little or no help to her at all.

 

She followed Dr. Pinocher out of the lobby. They stopped just outside the reception area.

 

The doctor explained. “Miss Kanata, we’ve just finished working on him. I’ve never seen anyone so banged-up. He had multiple bone fractures, and took quite a blow to his head. He’s still unconscious, but at least he’s stable. You said you found him near a cave-in?”

 

“Yes, that’s right. He had just crawled out of the rubble when I found him. I don’t know how long he was in there, though. I haven’t been there for a couple of weeks. I had just arrived when I found the place in shambles.”

 

“Well, it’s a good thing you found him when you did. It’s a miracle he’s still alive. Although, I am curious as to how you were able to bring him here. It took three of our orderlies to haul him out of your car.”

 

( _Oh, Lord…! He was that heavy?_ ) “Okay… I admit it wasn’t easy, but I like to think my inner strength was a big help.”

 

The doctor decided not to press her further. “Well, you can come to me if you’re feeling any pain later on. In the meantime, would you like to leave a number where you can be reached? When John Doe regains consciousness, we’ll be able to identify him and contact his family. I’m sure they’ll be happy to meet the woman who saved his life.”

 

( _That might be up for debate…_ ) “Sure, okay.”

 

She gave Dr. Pinocher her cell phone number and left the hospital. She couldn’t believe the day she’s having. Here she was, trying to get away from her problems, only to come across a man in an even worse situation. A big, hulking hunk of a man… That’s all she could think about as she drove back to Labyrinth Canyon.

 

When she returned to her cavern, she hesitated before entering. The man she found… What was his story? Was he living in a cave of his own when everything just collapsed all around him one day? She knew that feeling all too well.  But why would _he_ need to live in a cave, away from a society that loves to judge according to what they see. Aside from the injuries, he looked rather cute. She can think of a few women who’d give anything for a man like that…one in particular.

 

Mari descended the passageway. As she made her way down, she conjured up a little ball of light and sent it hovering near the ceiling. And now, she took a good look at her little sanctuary. She came here to get away from people, and people didn’t come here…at least, she never saw anyone else here until today. The cavern has served her well. Here she was able to heal her wounds and concentrate on her special talents. It’s too bad that she couldn’t talk to her family about what she can do, but they’ve made it perfectly clear what they really think of her.

 

Yet she couldn’t help but wonder… If this place was to cave-in one day, who’d come along to save her?

 

With a deep breath and a heavy heart, she decided to pack everything and move out. She capsulated the few pieces of furniture she kept here – a bed, a desk and some chests – and returned to Italia Village. Sure, there are people there who’d stare at her… But maybe she’ll have a better chance of dealing with it in a place where her family isn’t around to make things worse.

 

Besides, there was John Doe to think about.

 

**MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE HOSPITAL…**

 

Dr. Pinocher was just about to complete his rounds when he decided to check in on John Doe.

 

John Doe was presently in a private ward. Once his recovery progressed, he would be transferred to a semi-private room. For now, his legs and right arm were in casts and elevated by straps. His left arm, chest and forehead were bandaged.

 

Pinocher still could not figure out how that one young woman was able to lift him into her car. He’s quite a large man. The sunglasses she wore couldn’t completely hide her bruises. ( _Just how much ‘inner strength’ does she have?_ )

 

“Uhhh…” John Doe stirred.

 

( _He’s coming to…_ ) “Hello, there. Can you hear me?”

 

The mummified patient slowly opened his eyes. When his vision finally cleared, he saw a young man in a white coat staring at him. He did not recognize the face.

 

“Hello, there. I am Dr. Pinocher. You’re in a hospital. You’ve had quite an ordeal…”

 

“H-H-Hospital…?”

 

The doctor could see the fear in his eyes. “Yes, that’s right. You were trapped in a cave-in. A young woman found you and brought you here for treatment. You’re very lucky she came when she did. You have quite a few broken bones; not to mention some cracked ribs and quite a blow to your head. But you’re safe now, and we’re going to help you recover and find your family. Can you tell me your name?”

 

“My n-name…? I… I… I don’t know…”

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again, we have one soul struggling to remember, while another struggles to forget.

_**CHAPTER TWO  
** _

 

**THE NEXT DAY…**

 

The spiked-haired John Doe woke up in his hospital room. The first thing he saw were the clouds floating outside the window. They reminded him of the wonderful dream he just had. He was up in the sky, riding the clouds. He was free as a bird.

 

What he wouldn’t give to be free; if only one of those clouds would come through the window right now and take him far away from this place, leaving these doctors with their needles and tiny food rations far behind. His stomach has been growling since he first woke up here. But what hurt more than his injuries was that no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t remember anything. Everyone called him John Doe, but it didn’t feel right. That’s not his real name; that he’s certain of. But his real name…? His mind felt completely blank.

 

All he could do now was look at the clouds and fight back tears. ( _Why can’t I remember? My name…my life… It’s all gone! Somebody help me…! Please…?_ )

 

**MEANWHILE…**

 

Mari Kanata woke up from a good night’s sleep in a cozy little room in a bed-and-breakfast located just outside the market area in Itlaia Village. The owners are a kind, elderly couple making the best of their retirement years. Most of their vast property is used for farming, so between renting their spare rooms and planting fruits and vegetables to sell in the market, they do very well for themselves.

 

One of the advantages of capsulation is that it eliminates parking problems.  Once Mari found the place, she was able to ‘park’ her car into her bag. Perhaps it’s a good thing her father is a board member of Capsule Corporation.  But right now, that’s the only good thing she can say about her father.

 

After a quick shower and a lovely breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, she took advantage of the nice, sunny weather by treating herself to a private walking tour. As she headed toward the Market Square, she came across the occasional bicyclist, some neighbours and even some work hands. Fortunately, the worst she received from them were some waves and a few hellos, which she gladly returned. Maybe it won’t be so bad here, after all.

 

The Market Square was bustling with activity. Everywhere she looked there were grocers, hardware stores, restaurants, craft stores, clothing stores, pubs…

 

( _Clothing…_ ) It now occurred to Mari that John Doe’s clothes were torn to shreds. If everything he had was in that cave, he’ll need something to wear when he’s released…

 

Suddenly, her cell phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”

 

“Hello, Miss Kanata? This is Dr. Pinochet, from the hospital. John Doe has regained consciousness.”

 

“That’s great! Has he told you his name?”

 

“The thing is… Our visiting hours don’t start until 12:00, but can you come to the hospital a little sooner?”

 

Mari could see the hospital from where she was. It’s the biggest building in the village, after all. “Uh… Okay. I’m in the market now, but I should be there shortly.” Once she was out of the Market Square, she de-capsulated her hover car and headed straight for the hospital.

 

**LATER, IN DR. PINOCHET’S OFFICE…**

 

“He has…amnesia?”

 

“Yes, I’m afraid so. When he came to last night I tried to question him, but he seems to have no memory of his past whatsoever. When I told him he was in a hospital, he suddenly became very nervous. I had a nurse come in with a sedative, but when he saw the needle he panicked and tried to make a break for it. The casts on his arm and legs were the least of his concerns.”

 

It took everything Mari had to maintain a straight face. “O-kay… So, one thing we do know about him is that he’s scared to death of needles.” She leaned forward a bit. “How far did he get?”

 

“Funny you should ask. It took four orderlies to tackle him down and drag him from the window. His room is on the seventh floor.”

 

“He…tried to…jump out…the…?”

 

“Exactly. And the only way to stop him from screaming his lungs out and scaring the other patients was to promise not to use the needle. This will prolong his recovery. But fortunately, we do have medicine in tablet form. He did manage to get some sleep last night. And seeing how difficult it was for the orderlies to subdue him makes me wonder how you managed to bring him in all by yourself. So, please forgive me, but I must ask… Did he hit you?”

 

Mari was taken aback. “No! He never laid a hand on me! He was unconscious and I dragged him to my car the best I could...”

 

The doctor raised his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I’m asking because it looks like you’re covering bruises, especially on the right side of your face. And he is rather muscular…”

 

( _Bruises…?_ ) “Look, Doctor… What I’m about to show you, I’ve lived with my entire life…and not by choice…” After a deep breath, Marah slowly took off her shades and pushed back her dark hair.

 

Now Dr. Pinocher understood. It’s a birthmark. And it looked like it was smeared over her right eye and left to drip down her cheek. It reminded him of the rock band ‘Kiss’.

 

Mari broke the silence. “I can’t tell you how hard it’s been for me. My parents…can’t believe they could conceive such an ugly child. To make matters worse, my younger sister was born completely unblemished. Do I need to go further?”

 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I had to make sure John Doe didn’t hurt you in any way. I thought you should know… It’s like this… When it comes to amnesiacs, we do everything we can to identify them and locate their families so they can help them recover and regain their memories. We would notify the police, and they would use their fingerprint system to find their identities.  Unfortunately, it seems his fingerprints are not on the system. Whoever John Doe is, he is definitely not from around here, or the neighbouring cities.”

 

“Okay… So, what happens now?”

 

“Presently, he still needs treatment. The question is: what do we do with him when he recovers? If he was a child, we would recommend the orphanage. But your John Doe is a grown man…”

 

Mari did not like the sound of that. ( _My John Doe? All I did was bring him to the hospital. Suddenly he’s_ my _responsibility?_ )

 

“…I’m afraid if he doesn’t regain his memory…we’ll have no choice but to put him in our psychiatric facility…”

 

“An asylum? That’s a little extreme, isn’t it? He’s not insane; he’s just…well, he’s lost. If a regular hospital scares him, how will he handle being in the asylum?”

 

“Are you sure you don’t know him? You seem deeply concerned for someone you’ve never met before.”

 

“It’s just… Well, I… Can I see him?”

 

Dr. Pinocher looked at the clock on his desk. It’s 12:05. Visiting hours have begun. “Of course. Follow me, please. You can leave your bag here if you like.”

 

Mari once again had to pretend to not notice the staring from the hospital staff, especially now that she left her sunglasses in Pinocher’s office. After all these years, she should be used to this kind of treatment. On the bright side, staring was all they did. Back home…she learned the hard way how cruel people can be.

 

When they entered John Doe’s room, he was staring out the window. He looked so sad and lonely. The clouds floating outside had his full attention.

 

Mari waited near the door while Dr. Pinocher broke the silence. “Hello, John. How are you feeling?”

 

It took a moment, but John Doe eventually turned his head. He still looked scared, and Mari couldn’t help but blame him. He obviously didn’t like being in a hospital, but where could he go if he couldn’t even remember his own name?

 

“It’s alright, John. You don’t need to be afraid of me. I made a promise, remember? No needles. Do you remember that? No needles, I promise.” John Doe slowly nodded his head. “Okay, now. There’s someone I want you to meet.” Pinocher beckoned Mari to approach.

 

As much as she did not want to believe this was happening, she couldn’t stop herself from walking to the bed ( _Well, here goes…_ ).

 

And now John Doe saw a new person approach his bed. He couldn’t remember seeing anyone like her, but he couldn’t stop staring at her… There was something about her face…

 

Dr. Pinocher stepped aside a bit. “John Doe, this is Mari Kanata. She’s the one who rescued you.”

 

Mari braced herself as she gave a little smile and softly said, “Hello.” The way John Doe returned the greeting surprised her a bit. She was used to people flinching with disgust. She could always see it in their eyes. But this guy, he looked… fascinated?!

 

The next thing she knew John Doe had asked, “Why…are you…wearing a mask?”

 

( _A mask, he says._ ) “Well…the thing is…” Mari wiped a hand under her eye and held it out for him to see that it was smudge-free. “…It’s not a mask. It’s a birthmark.”

 

“What’s a…birthmark?”

 

After a quick glance to Dr. Pinocher, Mari said, “It’s hard to explain exactly. It’s a skin condition. Some people are born with marks like these on their body, though not all of them appear on the face, like this one. I don’t know why I look like this. It’s just something that happens, I guess.”

 

John Doe still looked fascinated. “Wow. It looks nice…”

 

**A WHILE LATER…**

 

Mari was with Pinocher in his office. “Well, Doctor… It looks like his injuries are more severe than we thought.”

 

“You’re not used to getting compliments, are you?”

 

“No, no I’m not.”

 

“Well, I am pleased with the way you handled his questions. Talking with you calmed him down considerably. Who knows? He might be able to sleep without sedatives tonight.”

 

Mari couldn’t help but smirk. “As long as you remember his ‘no needles’ policy, he’ll be fine. By the way, are the police still trying to figure out who he is?”

 

“Yes, they’re still investigating. In the meantime, you told him you’d pay him another visit. I hope you mean that. It will do him good to know he has a friend looking in on him. Putting his mind at ease may help him remember something.”

 

“Okay, but one more thing: I swear I heard his stomach growling. Don’t you feed him?”

 

“Of course we do. He gets the same standard rations we give all our patients on solid food. But his stomach doesn’t know when to quit.”

 

Later in the day, Mari was back at the Market Square. There’s a quiet little café near the center of the square. She’s been there before; they make great sandwiches and desserts, and they also have a little library and internet access. Sipping hot chocolate with a good book can work wonders. But now, as she stared into her cup, reading a book was the last thing on her mind.

 

She still couldn’t believe it…John Doe liked her face! No one ever gave her such a compliment. She was always told to cover her face. She even tried make-up, but someone was always ready to splash her with water. And now, someone actually said she looked nice. He didn’t even flinch.

 

Come to think of it, neither did Dr. Pinocher.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, for those of you wondering how this came to be, well... stay tuned.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, everyone's favourite Saiyan warrior has lost his memory. How did it happen, you ask?
> 
> Let's find out...

_**CHAPTER THREE** _

 

“He… HE’S GONE? What do you mean _he’s gone?_ ”

 

Chi-Chi hugged a crying Goten while Krillin, Yamcha, Puar, Oolong and Trunks could only lower their heads, as none of them could fully explain exactly what happened to Goku. Even they could not believe what had happened.

 

Krillin tried to make the first attempt. “Well, everything started out okay, but then…”

 

Then Yamcha cut in. “Pilaf happened. I never thought I’d see that little imp again, but…”

 

**THREE DAYS EARLIER…**

 

Emperor Pilaf was at it again.

 

That annoying blue imp was not going to give up until he became the ruler of the world. His determination was only overshadowed by his stroke of bad luck. Every time he came close to his goal, there was always something that would ruin everything…

 

…And that something was Goku. It was always Goku.

 

But this time, it was going to be different. This time he had the perfect plan, and nothing was going to get in his way; not Goku, not his friends, not anyone!

 

After doing a lot of research, he had discovered the key to ultimate power; even more powerful than the dragonballs. No wish Shenlong, the eternal dragon could grant could stop him, once he had the ultimate power in his hands.

 

He tracked it down to a small jewelry store in a village south of West City. To anyone else, it was a pendant made from a cherry amber stone wrapped in silver. But Pilaf knew better; it was a piece of an enchanted stone. He waited in the car while Mai and Chow, his loyal – and only – lackeys went inside the store to buy it for him. Normally, he would have no problem with them stealing what he wanted, but this time he wasn’t taking any chances. It wasn’t such a bad deal, really. The jeweler obviously didn’t know its true value, or he never would have sold it.

 

It was a small price to pay for world domination.

 

**MEANWHILE…**

 

“Please, Mom? Can I go? Pleeeeaaaasssseeee?”

 

“Please, Chi-Chi? Can he go? Pleeeeaaaassseeee?”

 

There they were…Goku and Goten, father and son, identical in every way except for Goten being much smaller. They shared the same hairstyle, same outfit, even the same facial expressions. Therefore, there was just no resisting the double-sad-puppy-face-on-bended-knee attack.

 

“Okay, okay! I give up! Goten can go on the camping trip – Hey!” Suddenly she was caught in the father-son-group-hug maneuver. That’s when Goku hugs her chest and arms, while Goten hugs her legs. There was no escaping that, either; not even if she wanted to. “Alright, you two. All I ask is that Goten gets his homework out of the way first, okay?”

 

“Thanks, Mom. You’re the best!” Goten released her legs and hurried upstairs to deal with his homework. Goku, however, had no intention of releasing his wife.

 

“Uh… Goku? I need to start making dinner.”

 

“He’s right, you know…” Goku whispered into her ear, “…you are the best.”

 

It took a good fifteen minutes, but Chi-Chi somehow managed to pry herself out of Goku’s loving grip. “Now, Goku,” she giggled, “it’s time for you to wash up. The sooner we have dinner, the sooner we can go to bed, and have the rest of the night to ourselves. Okay?”

 

Goku’s stomach could no longer be ignored. Goku sighed and said, “Okay.” Then he dragged his feet outside.

 

Chi-Chi wasn’t fooled for one minute. He went outside to wash up. Even though the house had a bathroom, complete with a marble tub, Goku always preferred to use the washtub conveniently located just outside the kitchen window. Once he had the fire under the tub heating the water, he undressed and climbed into the tub ever so slowly. He knew Chi-Chi would watch from the kitchen window, and Chi-Chi enjoyed the show. Her muscular saiyan husband was a sight to behold, and sleeping with him after dinner gave her even greater pleasure.

 

**THE NEXT MORNING…**

 

Chi-Chi had just finished packing lunches as Goku waited at the bottom of the stairs.

 

“Goten! Hurry up! The others will be here soon!”

 

“Okay, Dad!” Goten’s voice sounded a little strained.

 

Chi-Chi could not see the look on her husband’s face as Goten came down the stairs hauling a backpack twice his size on his back.

 

“I’m all packed.”

 

“Wow! You must have packed your whole room in there. Are you sure you want to take all that?”

 

“You said I should only pack what I need, and I did.”

 

Goku decided to inspect the backpack. As soon as he undid the first strap, the backpack exploded. Seconds later, father and son were swamped in a sea of comic books. Goten had enough copies of Spiderman, Captain America and Superman to run his own store.

 

Chi-Chi still hid in the kitchen, so she didn’t feel the full force of the explosion. Nevertheless, it took everything she had not to keel over laughing. ( _Now why can’t he be this eager with his schoolbooks?_ )

 

Goten was the first to come up for air. “Aww, Dad! Now look what you’ve done. And I had them all in order, too.”

 

And then Goku found his way to the surface. After brushing a Spiderman comic off his face he asked, “Why would you need to bring all of these along?”

 

“Trunks and I are gonna need them for reading in our tent at night, and in case we get bored.”

 

“Bored! There’s nothing boring about camping.” Goku finally managed to stand up. “Trust me, son. You won’t need all this.”

 

“But, Dad…” Goten does not hide his disappointment.

 

Goku knew that sad look all too well. Goten and Trunks had that same look when they wanted to see him become Super Saiyan Three. In the end, he gave in, and it cost him dearly. The transformation took up a lot of energy; energy he needed for his one-day pass on Earth. He had to leave early. But it was worth it, as well. The boys learned from it. Their fused form Gotenks transformed into Super Saiyan Three, just from watching him.

 

Goku knew next to nothing about comic books. Master Roshi had magazines, but the pictures were a lot different from these picture books his son collected. But if Chi-Chi said he could read them, then they must be okay. “Okay, you can take a few. Now let’s get this mess cleaned up. The others will be here soon.”

 

Chi-Chi remained in the kitchen. He did not want to interrupt this father-and-son moment, nor did she want him to see her trying not to laugh. For so long she had to deal with Goku being dead, while Goten had to grow up without a father until he turned eight. It’s been two years since Goku destroyed that Majin Buu monster, and now she finally had her husband back. Gohan was in college now, so he was busy with his studies. So why should she have a problem with Goten going on the occasional camping trip with his father?

 

What could possibly go wrong?

 

**THIRTY MINUTES LATER…**

 

Yamcha, Puar, Krillin, Trunks and Oolong arrived just as Goku and Goten had finished cleaning up the mess and re-packing Goten’s considerably smaller backpack. Chi-Chi finally emerged from the kitchen with their lunches.

 

“Now, Goten… You do what your father tells you to, and don’t get into any mischief, okay?”

 

“Okay, Mom.”

 

As the camping party flew off, with Krillin hauling Oolong since he could not fly, Chi-Chi went back into the house and thought about last night. For all of his phenomenal strength and incredible muscles, he knew to be gentle when it came to sleeping with her. There was no doubt in her mind that her husband loved her and wanted to stay with her. She wouldn’t mind having a third child with him…except that there was always that lingering feeling that something would happen to take him away from her. He’s already died twice before from battling one monster after another. If he died again, the dragonballs would not be able to bring him back. Her first-born, Gohan, was a college man now. But Goten was still a child. She did her best to raise him alone, even teaching him martial arts, knowing that’s what his father would have wanted. Besides, with Goten being part-saiyan, the fighting instincts were naturally in his blood. But now, Goku was back, and he loved playing with his new son.

 

Things were peaceful now, and she wanted them to stay that way. So she was content with what she had, and she prayed that this lingering feeling would soon fade away.

 

It was a long flight – just over an hour at normal flight speed – but the Z-gang had finally arrived at the campsite. Usually camping involves a short trip to the other side of Mount Pao, but Yamcha had found a new campsite. He came across it while taking the long way home after being dumped by a wanna-be supermodel. It was a large island with a mountain surrounded by lush vegetation, located about twenty miles away from the island where the World Tournament was held. It looked like the perfect island getaway. So when Goku invited him to go on the next camping trip, Yamcha showed him the island and sold him the idea of camping there for a change.

 

It didn’t take long for the campers to get their tents set up, except for Goten and Trunks who insisted on trying to pitch their tent all by themselves. The others made it look so easy; even Oolong was an expert on the subject. The others respected the boys’ wishes and observed at a distance, stifling their laughter as the tent kept collapsing. After the tenth time, Goku intervened to make sure the tent finally stayed in place.

 

With the campsite finally set up, the Z-gang went about exploring the rest of the island. Oolong and Puar searched for sticks to use for firewood. There were fruit trees and shrubs with berries, and Goku wasted no time showing Goten and Trunks which were safe to eat.  Yamcha and Krillin found a beach with plenty of fish, so they stripped off their clothes and tried their luck at fishing. Why should Goku be the only expert fisherman?

 

As the day drew to a close, everyone was surrounding the campfire. Dinner was a buffet of fish, fruit and berries…mostly fruit and berries. Yamcha’s and Krillin’s noble efforts resulted in hauling a total of ten giant fish. Goku forced himself to settle for only four while everyone else had one each. Fortunately, there were plenty of fruit and berries to go around.

 

Later that night, everyone turned in early. Everything was dark, but a while later, one tent had its light on. The young boys decided this was the best time to check out their comic collections.

 

“I though you were gonna bring more than this,” Trunks said.

 

“I did, but Dad opened my backpack and spilled everything. I was lucky he let me bring these.”

 

Trunks sighed. “Well, at least your dad lets you read comics. My dad says comic books are a waste.”

 

“I guess he didn’t have comic books when he was a kid. Here, try this one.”

 

So everything is more-or-less quiet on the campsite. None of them were aware that on the other side of the island, a large yacht had sailed in, and a party of three embarked on a rowboat toward the nearest beach.

 

“But, sire…” Chow said as he and Mai did all the rowing, “…Why didn’t we use the airship to come here?”

 

“Because…” Emperor Pilaf answered, “…The power source might interfere with the airship’s technology. Even if it shorts out the yacht’s motor, we can still use the sails. And besides, I don’t want to attract unwanted attention…especially from that Goku.”

 

Chow and Mai kept silent as they kept rowing. Pilaf, however, snickered silently as he opened the tiny box from the jewelry store. It looked like a regular cherry amber silver pendant, but Pilaf knew better.

 

“You see, my loyal lackeys, thousands of years ago a meteor crashed into the planet. Centuries later, an old man discovered the meteor, and when he tried to examine it, it gave him incredible magical powers. He was almost legendary. To keep his secret, he took the meteor, which he called the spellstone, and hid it away where no one would find it. To keep his powers, he chipped a piece off it and had it made it into this very pendant. It only looks like regular cherry amber, but a genius like me can detect its true properties, and see it for the spellstone that it is.”

 

“Excuse me, sire…” Mai asked, “…If that pendant is indeed spellstone, why don’t you just use that to become ruler?”

 

“Since the pendant is only a tiny piece of the spellstone, it contains only a fraction of its true power. That’s why the old man could only become a wizard, not a world leader. The spellstone was too big for him to lug about secretly, and the pendant had to be recharged now and then for him to maintain his magic. That’s why it’s important to get the original spellstone meteor. Once I have the entire spellstone in my possession, my position as ruler of the world will be secure. Now keep rowing, you two. The Pilaf Dynasty has been delayed long enough.”

 

Mai and Chow sighed in unison, “Yes, sire…” and continued their rowing.

 

**MEANWHILE…**

 

Oolong had no choice but to wake up when he did; nature was calling him with a bullhorn. He was careful not to wake up his tent-mate, Krillin as he hurried into the jungle to get his business out of harm’s way. Once he was done, he followed what he thought was the light from Goten’s and Trunk’s tent light.

 

But as he came closer, he shuddered to hear the familiar voice of Emperor Pilaf. ( _No way. Not Pilaf again. What’s he doing here?_ )

 

While the loyal lackeys were ‘having the time of their lives’ blazing a trail with machetes through the jungle, Emperor Pilaf had the most important job of wearing the spellstone pendant. It gave off a bright glow and levitated as they headed toward the center of the island.

 

“You see? The pendant is pointing the way to the main chunk of spellstone. We just keep going forward to the mountain. At this rate, I’ll be ruler of the world by morning.”

 

“But sire…” whined Chow. “It’s dark now. Shouldn’t we wait until morning when it’s safer to do this?”

 

“Idiot! If we wait any longer, Goku might come out of nowhere and ruin everything. I’m NOT giving him the chance to spoil my plans! Not this time! Besides, this pendant is giving us all the light we need. Even I can see the cave entrance just ahead. Now quit whining and keep going!”

 

Oolong was a coward; that was no secret. Sure, he could shape-shift, but only for a few minutes. And there was that one time when Pilaf had all the dragonballs, and was about to wish to be ruler of the world, when something possessed Oolong to jump in his way and wish for underwear. On one hand, it was a stupid wish, but on the other, he saved the world.

 

But now Pilaf is after something called a spellstone. There’s no guarantee he’d have the same kind of luck this time. Oolong’s only option was to find his way back to camp as quietly as possible, and he did…at least until he stepped on a twig which snapped under his foot...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't you just hate it when that happens?


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time on Lost Souls, it was Goten’s first camping trip with Goku and his friends on what everyone thought was a deserted island. But Oolong discovered the evil Emperor Pilaf was searching for a spellstone that would give him power to rule the world. Oolong tried to sneak away, but a twig snapped under his foot…
> 
> And now, the flashback continues…

_**CHAPTER FOUR** _

 

“What was that?”

 

“What was what, sire?” asked Mai.

 

“I thought I heard something over there.” Pilaf grabbed hold of the spellstone pendant and held it in the direction of the snapped twig. He concentrated on making the spellstone shine a beam of light in that direction. If someone was out there, he was going to see who it was.

 

Oolong crouched down in the bushes, trying his best not to shake in uncontrollable fear. When he blew Pilaf’s chance to wish for world domination, Pilaf wanted to roast him for dinner. What were the chances that Pilaf had forgotten all about losing world domination for a pair of underwear?

 

Yeah, right.

 

“Something’s over there. I just know it.” Pilaf stepped closer in Oolong’s direction, using the pendant like a flashlight. He shone the light near some bushes and saw…a squirrel. The bright light made the squirrel scamper away into the night.

 

Chow asked, “Is everything okay, sire?”

 

“It’s nothing. Let’s keep going.”

 

The squirrel wasted no time scampering as far away from Pilaf as it could. Five minutes later, the squirrel transformed into Oolong the pig. He kept running until he finally found the campsite.

 

Ten minutes later, Oolong had filled everyone in on what happened. “…and he’s looking for something called spellstone in a cave near the other side. I don’t know what spellstone is, but if Pilaf wants it, then it can’t be good news for us.”

 

Krillin asked the same question that was going through the young half-saiyan’s minds. “Who’s this Pilaf guy?”

 

Yamcha answered that question. “He calls himself Emperor Pilaf. He was looking for the dragonballs the same time Bulma was. He wanted to become king of the world. He almost did, but Oolong messed up his wish. I thought we saw the last of him after his castle was destroyed.”

 

“I didn’t,” Goku said. “I had dealt with him a few more times after that. Whatever this spellstone is, it must have some kind of power if it makes him forget about the dragonballs. We need to stop him before he makes his wish.”

 

“Good idea!” Oolong said. “You guys take care of Pilaf, and I’ll stay here and guard the camp.” Before he could take one step toward his tent, an angry Puar hovered right in front of him.

 

“Shame on you, Oolong! You’re the only one who can show us where this cave is. You can’t go into hiding now.”

 

“Are you crazy, Puar? Don’t you remember what happened at Pilaf’s castle? We almost got cooked alive! And for a pig, that’s not a good thing!”

 

Yamcha intervened. “Normally, I’d agree with you, Oolong. But you are the only one who knows where this cave entrance is. And besides, we don’t know anything about spellstone. What if it can sense our energy? If we power up now, this spellstone thing might react and warn Pilaf. We need to sneak up on him while he doesn’t know we’re here. And like it or not, Oolong, we need you’re help.”

 

Goku put a hand on Oolong’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Oolong. You know we wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you. Once you lead us to Pilaf, you and Puar can head back to camp and wait with Goten and Trunks.”

 

Oolong, Trunks and Goten all said, “Awwwww…”.

 

“Sorry, guys.” Krillin said. “We need you two as back-up in case things get really bad.”

 

( _Back-up…yeah, right!_ ) Trunks thought to himself. ( _That’s just their way of saying we’re still too young to help save the world._ )

 

With a heavy heart, Oolong backtracked his way to the cave, his only consolation was that his friends were a lot stronger than when he last dealt with Pilaf. A few minutes later, they were outside the cave entrance. “Well, this is the place. Come on, Puar. We’ve done all we can do…”

 

Yamcha grabbed Oolong by his suspenders. “Sorry, Oolong. We still need you.”

 

“Yamcha! Be reasonable. We can’t fight, and you know it!”

 

“True, but you can shape-shift. You said you turned yourself into a squirrel to escape, right? The pendant didn’t react to you. So it’s safe for you and Puar to transform into flashlights and light the way. Once we reach Pilaf and the spellstone, you and Puar can head back to camp. We’ll do the rest.”

 

“Good idea, Yamcha.” Puar wasted no time changing from a small cat into a flashlight and flew into Yamcha’s hand.

 

A deep breath later, Oolong said, “Okay. But remember: I can only do this for five minutes at a time.” Then he changed into a flashlight as well and flew into Goku’s hand.

 

Yamcha and Puar went into the cave first. Puar was better at shape-shifting than Oolong because Oolong was expelled from shape-shifting school before he could learn how to concentrate on making his changes last longer than five minutes. Puar finished the course, so he was an expert. Nevertheless, Oolong did his best to provide enough light while Goku held him. Krillin followed behind Goku, careful to watch his step.

 

Deeper into the cave, Pilaf still wore the spellstone pendant as it levitated from his chest, glowing even brighter as he and his lackeys ventured onward. Soon they noticed a bright glow ahead of them, and as they reached the bottom of the cave, they found a huge chamber with stalactites and stalagmites scattered about. In the very center of the chamber, a group of stalagmites shaped like fingers holding a large deep red stone. Mai and Chow stood in awe as Pilaf approached the altar to claim his prize. With every step he took, the spellstone glowed a little brighter. It was reacting to the pendant, which also glowed brighter.

 

“At last, my loyal subjects, I have the power to take my rightful place as the ruler of the world!” Pilaf takes off the pendant necklace and holds it toward the altar. “Once I re-unite this piece to the original, my power will go unchallenged! The Pilaf Dynasty will at last become a reality and the future!”

 

As the glow from the spellstone intensified, the light reached outside the chamber, enabling the Z fighters to see ahead of them as they approached. Good thing, too. Oolong’s five minutes were up. Goku placed him on the ground seconds before changing back from flashlight to pig.

 

Yamcha hands over Puar – still in flashlight form – to Oolong and whispers, “Okay, now you two get back to the camp and wait with Trunks and Goten. We’ll take care of Pilaf.”

 

Oolong wasted no time backtracking out of the cave.

 

And Pilaf wasted no time, either. He searched the spellstone for the section where the piece for the pendant was chipped off. He wanted to use that spot to connect the two pieces together. Pilaf knew that doing so would make the spellstone whole again. Its power would move freely, and be absorbed into the pendant. There was nothing stopping him from making his dream come true…

 

…except that he could not for the life of him reach the spellstone! The stalagmites were twice his diminutive size. There was only one thing to do… “Chow! Get over here!”

 

Chow knew exactly what his next task would be. Even though Mai was much taller than the ninja-dog, Pilaf felt more comfortable using Chow as a footstool instead of the taller, slender woman. With a deep sigh, Chow went straight to the altar and braced himself for the back-breaking duty, hoping that Pilaf will remember this when he really does rule the world.

 

Mai was no fool. She knew the pattern: victory would be inches away from Pilaf’s grasp, and then something would happen to ruin everything. Somehow it always happened that way. So while Chow assumed the position, and Pilaf struggled to stand on Chow’s back, Mai glanced toward the entrance. The last thing they need right now is for someone to come and interrupt the ritual…

 

“Pilaf! What do you think you’re doing?”

 

…So imagine her surprise when Goku, of all people, suddenly appeared between her and the altar. Pilaf nearly fell of Chow’s back as Chow was also surprised to see Goku appear out of nowhere.

 

Pilaf was so close to victory. He was not going to let anyone stop him now…least of all, Goku. He straightened himself on Chow’s aching back and answered, “Why nothing…except finally becoming the ruler of the world, no thanks to you! Mai! Annihilate him!”

 

Mai was more than willing to reach into her pockets and de-capsulate one of her attack machines, but she was busy trying to free herself from Yamcha who grabbed her after Goku used Instant Transmission to enter the chamber.

 

Goku tried to reason with Pilaf. “Listen to me. You don’t know what you’re dealing with…”

 

“I know exactly what I’m doing! At long last, I am fulfilling my destiny! I should have been ruling the world years ago, but you and your friends kept getting in my way! Not this time, Goku! You’ve stood in my way long enough! The Pilaf Dynasty has finally arrived!”

 

“SAVE MEEEE!!!”

 

Without warning, Oolong darted into the chamber, squealing like a…a pig. To make matters worse, he collided into Yamcha, enabling Mai to break free from his grip.

 

Oolong and Puar were almost out of the cave when a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes. Puar kept his flashlight form as Oolong tried his best to be brave about the situation and shone the light in the bushes. Then two figures jumped out from behind…and that’s when Oolong panicked. He dropped Puar and headed for the chamber in record time.

 

When Puar hit the ground, he changed back into his cat form. When he came to, the two forms turned out to be Trunks and Goten. They were worried waiting in the campsite all by themselves, and followed everyone without them knowing. They have been waiting outside the cave all this time. Unfortunately, they didn’t count on scaring Oolong back into the cave.

 

If Oolong thought the two figures outside the cave were scary, they paled in comparison to the look on Pilaf’s face.

 

“ _You_ …!” Pilaf said, “…Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, pig. You’re going to be the main course in my coronation feast!”

 

“Sire! Look out!” Chow, despite his position, managed to spot Krillin, whose job was to sneak around the stalagmites and grab Pilaf before he could activate the spellstone. However, when Chow struggled to point in Krillin’s direction, Pilaf momentarily lost his balance. Pilaf put one hand on the spellstone crystal to keep from falling, while keeping a grip on the pendant.

 

It was happening again. Every time Pilaf is on the verge of victory, Goku and company arrive to ruin everything. Not this time! Pilaf had the power in his hands. And his first act as world ruler was to make these troublemakers – especially Goku – his mindless slaves. Nothing was going to stop him now…Nothing!

 

Pilaf then spotted the crack where the pendant stone was chipped from. In that instant, he slammed the pendant into the crystal. The spellstone, now complete, gave off a brilliant glow that could be seen from outside the cave. “YEESSS!!! The Pilaf Dynasty begins NOW!!!”

 

Goku screamed, “GET EVERYONE OUT OF HERE!!! NOW!!!”

 

Krillin grabbed Pilaf and Chow. Yamcha grabbed Oolong and Mai. The passengers had no choice but to hang on for dear life as the Z-fighters powered up and darted out of the cave, almost colliding into Puar, Goten and Trunks.

 

“HEY, YOU THREE!” Krillin yelled, “GET AWAY FROM THERE! THIS PLACE IS GONNA BLOW!!!”

 

The boys knew they were in big trouble for leaving the camp, so they powered up and followed after the others, with Trunks holding onto Puar as they flew away from the island. Judging from what Krillin said, and the fact that Goku was not with everyone, Goten knew in his heart that whatever was happening in the cave, his father was facing it alone…

 

…and that’s just how Goku wanted it. The spellstone was filled with incredible power; that much he understood. And he had to do something before that power went completely out of control. So now that everyone was out of the cave, he did the only thing he could think of…

 

“KA…ME…HA…ME…HAAAA!!!”

 

Goku’s most powerful attack made a direct hit on the spellstone…and the explosion was enough to fling both campers and criminals for miles.

 

A few hours later, Krillin regained consciousness to the sound of people talking about the strange explosion they heard last night. It took a moment for him to remember what had happened. After flying around for a while, he recognized the island he was on as the island of the Marital Arts Tournament. He then concentrated on finding the others.

 

Yamcha, Trunks, Goten, Puar and Oolong were soon found; a few bruises here and there, but they were all okay. Pilaf and his goons were nowhere to be found. Yamcha assumed that they had escaped while everyone else was unconscious. He may not be as strong as everyone else, but he secretly shuddered at the thought of what he would do if he ever saw those three again.

 

All that was left to do was to find Goku. Oolong and Puar stayed behind while the others flew back to the island campsite.

 

When they arrived, there was nothing left of the island except for a huge crater with waterfalls pouring in from crevices just below sea level. In time, the crater would be completely filled with water.

 

There was no trace of Goku. Searching the neighbouring areas proved fruitless. No one could even sense his presence. After two days of non-stop searching, they had no other choice…

 

They had to break the news to Chi-Chi… Goku was gone.

 

And this time, nothing could bring him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of flashback, but not the end of the story. In fact, it's really just beginning...


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay... The flashback is over. Time to return to the present and see how our 'lost souls' are doing...

_**CHAPTER FIVE**_  

 

It’s been almost a week since John Doe first woke up in Itlaia Hospital. His body was healing, but his memory was still gone. All he could ‘remember’ was flying with the clouds. That same dream haunted him every time he tried to sleep. So far his doctor has kept his promise to not use any needles, but his only link to sanity has been his new friend, Mari. She’s been visiting him regularly: keeping him company, trying to help jog his lost memory and, most importantly, bringing him extra food to eat. It wasn’t a lot of food – some submarine sandwiches, fruit and bottled water – but it helped ease his rumbling stomach a little.

 

It wasn’t just the food she brought that made John Doe enjoy her visits. He really liked talking to her. He didn’t understand anything about birthmarks, but he could tell she did not like having one on her face. But it wasn’t ugly; if anything, it just looked like she wore a mask…or half-a-mask, at least. He also didn’t understand why she blushed when he complimented her. ( _How could someone so nice feel so bad about herself?_ )

 

**MEANWHILE…**

 

After the guests had finished breakfast, Mari gathered the dishes and went to work scrubbing them clean. She didn’t mind helping out – she volunteered. It was a blessing in disguise. She needed a distraction, and Mrs. Folstam could tell when someone needed a distraction.

 

Mrs. Folstam ran the Bed and Breakfast, while her husband focused on the farming. Ever since their children and grandchildren have grown and moved away, the elderly couple decided to turn their home into a Bed and Breakfast to avoid spending the rest of their days in boredom. During that time, they have met all kinds of people…but Mari was definitely different. At first, the way she hid her face behind those sunglasses made them wonder if she was a battered woman on the run. She kept to herself in the library with her head buried in books. But when word spread about her rescuing a man with amnesia from a cave-in, she became something of a celebrity; but she still kept to herself. And then one morning, she came to the breakfast table without her sunglasses. Not surprisingly, many of the guests commented on her birthmark – some said it looked like a mask – but she handled it rather well. Mrs. Folstam has yet to see Mari wear the sunglasses again.

 

However, being an experienced mother and grandmother, Mrs. Folstam could clearly see that Mari needed to get something off her chest. So while Mari packed away the last of the dishes, Mrs. Folstam made her move. She was at the table with two cups of hot cocoa ready and waiting. “Have a seat, dear.”

 

The next thing Mari knew, she was spilling her guts about how tough her life was. Being birth-marked was bad enough for an only child, but then her beautiful sister entered the world…

 

“My parents are the kind of people who believe image is everything. If you must have a daughter, then please make her beautiful. That way she could grow up to be the kind of woman a rich young man wants to be seen with. My chances of that were doomed from the very beginning, and they never let me forget it. When Nomi was born, there was no doubt which of us was their favourite.”

 

Mrs. Folstam could see she was fighting back tears. ( _Poor child… No one ever asks for birthmarks!_ ) She handed Mari a handkerchief. Mari graciously accepted it and dabbed her eyes with it, moving the thick, long bangs that were barely covering the marked part of her face. That’s when Mrs. Folstam noticed that Mari’s right eye was a light brown colour, while her left eye was a darker brown. Perhaps the right eye only looked lighter since it was covered by the dark birthmark. She wondered if Mari could see through that eye, but she was not going to push the matter. It was time to discuss something more cheerful.

 

“Well, everyone here appreciates you helping that John Doe fellow. Has he been able to remember anything yet?”

 

“No, I’m afraid not. And to tell you the truth, it worries me.”

 

Mrs. Folstam sipped her cocoa. “Well… what do you make of him?”

 

“He definitely hates being in a hospital. I don’t think he means to give the doctors a hard time; but let’s face it… who wants to be stuck in bed day after day? And judging from his muscular body, he’s no couch potato. I’m thinking he had to have worked out in a gym somewhere. The thing is, if he doesn’t regain his memory soon, he could be sent to the asylum just so he won’t be wandering the streets like a homeless man. But he’s not crazy; he just can’t remember who he is. So unless they have a really good gym in there, I don’t think he’ll fare very well.”

 

Mrs. Folstam pretended not to notice her blushing. “So he’s the active type, is he? Well… Maybe he’d like a job. We could always use some extra hands out in the field. It would give him something to do, and he’d earn some money, too.”

 

“You’re okay with that? That would be great! Thank you!” Mari could not help but give her landlady a big hug.

 

After the hug Mrs. Folstam replied, “You’re quite welcome, dear. Now finish your cocoa. And give your friend my best.”

 

After the kitchen was tidied up, Mari headed to the Market Square. The walk was good exercise, and there was still time before visiting hours started. With that in mind, she had an idea. She searched her cell phone for Dr. Pinocher’s number and speed-dialed it.

 

“Hello. This is Dr. Pinocher.”

 

“Hello. This is Mari. I was wondering if I could ask a favour.”

 

“Really? What did you have in mind?”

 

“Well, I just talked with Mrs. Folstam who runs the Bed and Breakfast where I’m staying. And she’s suggested that John Doe could apply for a job when he gets better. The thing is… Would it be okay if I surprised him with a little outdoor picnic? He hasn’t been outside since he came there, has he?”

 

“A picnic, eh?” ( _Come to think of it…A little fresh air would do him some good. It may even help him ease his fears._ ) “Sounds like a good idea. Come by at one o’clock, after he’s had his hospital meal. And thanks again.” He hung up, and continued his rounds.

 

About half-an-hour minutes later there was an ear-piercing scream, followed by a crash…

 

Mari was in Market Square with a picnic basket stuffed to capacity with sandwiches, juice bottles and other goodies. And then she came across a clothing store. ( _I keep forgetting he has nothing to wear. I wish I knew his measurements…_ )

 

Her cell phone rang. “Miss Kanata? It’s Pinocher. Where are you right now?”

 

That’s odd. He sounded worried. “I’m in the square. Did something happen?”

 

“I need you to get here right away! I’ll meet you in the lobby. Please hurry!”

 

Mari hurried out of the square, released her car from capsulation, and was on her way to the hospital. As she drove alongside the hospital, she noticed something. One of the windows above some trees was broken. She slowed the car down and counted upwards. ( _Okay, first there’s the ground floor…then one, two, three, four…five…six… Oh, Lord!_ )

 

After she parked the car, she hurried to the lobby entrance on the other side of the building, taking her slightly heavy picnic basket with her.  Dr. Pinocher was waiting for her. “Miss Kanata? You’re not going to believe this…”

 

“Please tell me that hole I saw isn’t where I think it is.”

 

Pinocher sighed. “Please follow me. I’ll explain when we get there.”

 

Mari followed the doctor as he led her not to John Doe’s room, but down a hallway past some labs. On the way, two orderlies were being carried away on a gurney. They looked like they picked a fight with a tree…and lost.

 

When they reached the exit, they entered a large garden quadrangle. This would make an ideal spot for a picnic, except that there was some medical staff gathered about one of the trees at the far end of the quad. Mari looked up and saw the broken window again. There were shards of glass scattered about. “What happened?”

 

Dr. Pinocher sighed again and said, “Everything was going fine. He was all calm and relaxed, especially when I told him you were coming later. But then, while I was checking on another patient, one of the other doctors tried to give him an injection, and…”

 

“I’M NOT GOING BACK IN THERE!!! STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!”

 

“…and now, he is up in that tree over there. Heaven help anyone who tries to get him down.”

 

Mari looked at the window, and then at the trees. She judged the distance from the building to the trees to be about seventy feet, and that is one very tall tree. “Are you saying…? Did he… jump from the window?”

 

Pinocher sighed again. “Unbelievably, yes.”

 

“Didn’t you promise that you would not use any needles…?”

 

“I did promise! The problem is…”

 

“YOU PROMISED!!! NO NEEDLES!!!  YOU PROMISED!!!”

 

“YOUNG MAN, I MUST INSIST THAT YOU STOP THIS FOOLISHNESS RIGHT NOW!”

 

“The problem is that Dr. Quacksalver did not agree with his ‘no needles’ policy… Miss Kanata?”

 

Mari was momentarily distracted by the doctor screaming at John Doe. ( _Did he say…Quacksalver?_ )

 

“MR. JOHN DOE, YOU DON’T SEEM TO REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT YOU RECEIVE PROPER MEDICATION ACCORDINGLY…!”

 

“I TOLD YOU I CAN’T STAND NEEDLES!!! I’D RATHER BE SICK!!!”

 

One of the orderlies outside ran from the scene, headed toward the nearby entrance. Pinocher stopped him. “That’s my patient up there! Where are you going?”

 

“I’m sorry, doctor. It was Dr. Quacksalver’s idea. He wanted to teach John Doe not to be afraid of needles, so he ordered a group of us to hold him down. The next thing I knew, we’re all thrown about the room, the window was shattered and John Doe was clinging onto the tree. Two more guys tried to climb up after him, but then he started kicking… Don’t be fooled by those leg casts; he’s tougher than he looks. Dr. Quacksalver ordered me to call the Fire Department…”

 

“Young man…” entered Quacksalver. He bore a striking resemblance to Albert Einstein. Whether or not he was as smart as Einstein was definitely up for debate… “Didn’t I tell you to notify…? Pinocher! I should have known. The board will be hearing about this…”

 

“Yes, I can’t wait to tell them how _you_ chased him up the tree. If he wasn’t scared of hospitals before, he is now! What were you thinking?”

 

“I was following hospital procedure. You should try it sometime, young man…!”

 

“He was doing fine until you came in and scared him to death!”

 

“Orderly! I told you to call the Fire Department. Get going!”

 

“No! You stay where you are!”

 

Mari was a little surprised that Quacksalver didn’t recognize her; but then again, ducking behind the orderly played a part in that. She figured with Pinocher keeping Quacksalver busy, she could try and talk to John. With her picnic basket in tow, she made her way to the crowd.

 

A nurse saw her coming. “Excuse me, miss. I’m sorry, but it’s not safe…”

 

“It’s okay. I’m…his guardian. Dr. Pinocher told me what happened…”

 

The nurse caught sight of the birthmark. “Oh, right! You’re the lady that saved him, aren’t you?”

 

“Yes, I am. I won’t climb the tree, but I have a better chance of calming him down than…” She point toward the dueling doctors.

 

“Before you do that, I should let you know…”

 

“STAY AWAY FROM ME!!! I’M NOT GOING BACK THERE!!! NO WAY!!!

 

Mari looked up, and there he was: her ‘ward’, high up in the tree with his eyes shut tight, hugging it like an octopus. Never mind that his limbs were still in casts. Never mind that a crowd was forming. And what’s worse; never mind that his gown did nothing to cover his shame.

 

Nevertheless, she had to do something. “John?  It’s me, Mari. Can you hear me?”

 

( _Mari? She’s here?_ ) “Mari? I can’t go back there! They tried to give me a shot! They promised they wouldn’t, but they did it anyway! They broke their promise!”

 

Broken promises… Mari knew that feeling all too well. But first things first… “Look, John… What that doctor did was wrong. Pinocher is talking to him right now. He won’t let that happen again…”

 

John Doe hugged the tree even tighter. “Please, Mari! I’m begging you! Don’t make me go back there! Please!”

 

Mari sighed. “I’m sorry, John. The thing is… I was hoping you’d join me for a picnic today…”

 

( _A picnic…? A real picnic...with real food…?_ ) He slowly opens his eyes. There was Mari opening a picnic basket. Even from his height he could see it was filled with food. He could also see the hospital staff surrounding her. They were all waiting for him to come down; all ready to jump on him and jab him with needles. But Mari’s there… She wouldn’t let them… Would she?

 

Mari closed the basket. She was glad she brought it; it helped avert her eyes. “…but, this probably isn’t a good time right now. I understand. We can do this another time…”

 

( _She’s leaving?!_ ) “No…! Don’t go!”

 

“JUST ONE MOMENT, YOUNG LADY!!! Just what do you think…? YOU!!!”

 

Mari sighed a little deeper this time. ( _Oh, goodie! Dr. Quacksalver remembers me. Of all the hospitals in all the world…_ ) “Well, let’s see… I was hoping I could treat John Doe to a nice, relaxing picnic. Instead, thanks to you, I’m trying to talk him down from a tree. I hope you have malpractice insurance this time…”

 

“How dare you talk to me that way? Does your father know…?”

 

“You’re lucky I’m talking to you at all! And if my father knew what you were doing, he would not want anyone to think he knew you!” Mari pointed to John Doe, still clinging to the tree. “I’m his guardian, I brought him here for treatment, and I am _not_ going to stand by and do nothing while you scare him to death!”

 

And John Doe was scared. He was very, very scared. The very thought of a needle sent a tidal wave of terror throughout his entire body. He couldn’t help it. All he did was lie quietly in his bed, waiting for Mari to visit. He even felt like he could close his eyes for a while and take a nap. The next thing he knew, four men in white had grabbed his limbs. And then he came...that Dr. Quack-something came and pointed that big needle at him. He had to get those guys off of him. He had to get away. The next thing he knew, he was clinging onto this tree for dear life. And now Mari was arguing with Quack-something on his behalf. He was feeling really bad right now…and not from his injuries.

 

And then Quacksalver saw the picnic basket. “Wait a minute… I heard someone’s been sneaking him food. And _I’m_ being accused of breaking the rules? You… you evil, ugly child! Hand over that basket right now…!”

 

“GET AWAY FROM HER!!!” In the blink of an eye, John Doe was staring down Dr. Quacksalver, with Mari and her basket safely behind him. First he tried to kill him with a needle, and now he wanted to take Mari’s food. “Don’t you _dare_ call her those things! There’s nothing evil or ugly about her!”

 

Mari was speechless. One second ago she was facing off one of the people who tormented her most as a child. And now she was hopelessly staring at John Doe’s exposed backside ( _Sweet buns of steel!!!_ ). There was no chance at averting her eyes now. And what’s more… He was defending her! No one had ever done that before.

 

Pinocher and the rest of the audience had only one question on their minds… _How did he get down that tree so fast?_

 

Quacksalver, however, was not going to let any patient get the better of him. This John Doe fellow may look big and strong as he stared down at him, but he was a professional doctor, and he knew John’s weakness. He raised one hand and calmly said, “Now, now, John… Take it easy. There’s no need for violence. We can discuss this like adults.” His other hand reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out…the needle.

 

That was all it took to make John Doe back away, wishing he was far away from this hospital. But as he did, he slammed into Mari, knocking her off her feet.

 

Suddenly, everything went black…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you thinking what I'm thinking...?


	6. Chapter Six

_**CHAPTER SIX** _

 

  

( _What…what happened?_ ) Poor John Doe needed a moment to think. It all happened so fast. That crazy doctor came at him with a needle again, and then everything went dark… He could feel himself falling… falling…

 

And then he landed on his back surrounded by rocks and boulders. There’s no sign of any hospital or doctors anywhere. He breathed a sigh of relief. ( _A nightmare… It was just a nightmare, that’s all. Everything’s okay now..._ ) But then he noticed that he’s still wearing a hospital gown. His arm and legs were still in casts. His mind felt blank again. He couldn’t remember anything before the hospital. “I… I don’t understand. What happened? Where is everyone? Where is…Mari? Mari! Where are you?”

 

In spite of his injuries, he needed to get up. He had to find Mari. Somehow, he managed to stand up. He turned himself around…and there was Mari, lying on the ground. Her picnic basket was toppled over nearby, some of its food spilled on the ground.

 

He tried to walk to her, but he slipped on some stones and fell on his back. The pain was excruciating, but he couldn’t let it stop him. Mari was the only one who could help him, the only one he could trust. He had to get to her before something else happened. So he tried again, this time he was careful to watch his step. He especially made sure to avoid what looked like a hole nearby. About ten minutes and two more slips later, he finally reached her just as she was coming to.

 

Afraid of falling again, he called to her while standing. “Mari? Are you okay?”

 

Mari managed to get on her knees. “Oh, man… What hit me?”

 

Hearing those words put fear in John’s mind. “Mari, you don’t… you don’t have amnesia too, do you?”

 

One look at her bandaged behemoth brought it all back to her. “No, don’t worry. I remember everything.”

 

“I wish I could.”

 

Mari stood up and dusted herself off. “Don’t worry, John. We’ll work on that…” That’s when she noticed their surroundings. “Wait a minute! Where’s the hospital? Where are we?” ( _And more importantly, how did we get here?_ ) One theory came to her mind, and it sent a chill down her spine like never before. ( _Good Lord… I picked a fine time to discover that I can teleport._ )

 

John Doe had a chill down his own spine as well. “I… I don’t know. First that…that doctor came with the needle… It was HIM!!! He did this! He must’ve stabbed us with that needle, and dumped us here while we were blacked out…”

 

Mari was doing everything she could to not only figure out where they were, but to also keep a straight face about John’s theory. ( _Poor guy…If he only knew…_ )

 

“…See, this is why I hate hospitals! Hospitals have doctors, and doctors always have needles!”

 

“John...”

 

“I hate needles! I’d rather be sick than get a needle!”

 

“John…”

 

“There’s no way I’m going to any hospital! Not after this!”

 

“I don’t believe this…JOHN!!!”

 

Poor John was so startled by Mari shouting; he slipped and fell a fourth time.

 

Mari rushed to his aid. “John! John, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”

 

The amnesia, the painful injuries, the evil doctors, being dumped in some kind of rocky wilderness… It was all too much. “I don’t understand. Why is this happening? Why did they do this? Why?” There was no stopping the tears now. He had every right to cry, and he curled into the fetal position as best as he could and did just that.

 

Mari sat next to him and took a deep breath. There was no doubt in her mind that it was her magic that brought them here, but who would’ve thought that John’s bumping into her would activate a power she didn’t know she had before? Magic was the last thing on her mind at the time. Even now, it’s hard not to notice that his smock is not providing a lot of coverage. How can he be so oblivious to his southern exposure? With extreme willpower, she managed to pry her eyes away from John and fetch the blanket from the picnic basket to spread it over him.

 

At first, John was startled by the action, but something happened when they faced each other. Mari gently placed her hand on his face, gently wiping away the tears from his cheek; all the while keeping eye contact with this gentle giant. Despite his injuries, he still looked like he could heave any of these boulders just for fun. The mere thought of that made her want to smile a little.

 

Meanwhile, John kept still while Mari gently stroked his cheek. Despite the bangs, he could still see her eyes…and they intrigued him; especially when she began to smile. So what if one looked brighter than the other? So what if she had a mark on her face? As far as he was concerned, that doctor was wrong to call her ugly and evil. In fact, as he kept looking at her, he began to feel more at ease and relaxed…

 

…at least until her cell phone rang, bringing them both back to the harsh reality.

 

“Trust me, John," said Mari, as she made her way into her nearby bag and pulled out her cellular. She sat close to John so he could listen in. Sure enough, it was Dr. Pinocher’s private line. “Hello?”

 

“Mari! It’s me, Pinocher! Are you okay? Is John Doe with you? Where are you?”

 

( _Good question._ ) “Yes, we’re okay. We’re…” She could see the panic in John’s eyes, so she placed her free hand back on John’s cheek, hoping to reassure him that she’s not going to betray him. “Look…right now, we’re in hiding; that’s all I can say. John is adamant about not going back to the hospital, and I don’t blame him. If I knew Quacksalver would be there, I would have taken him elsewhere. He can call himself a doctor all he wants, but he had no right to…”

 

“I know! I know! And I’m sorry it happened. But…”

 

“Miss Kanata! You need to bring him back here right now!”

 

Somewhere in the back of Mari’s mind, she half-expected to hear Quacksalver’s voice. Most likely the dueling doctors are in Pinocher’s office talking through speaker-phone.

 

“You know very well, young lady, that the sooner he gets the proper medical treatment, the better!”

 

Mari could see that hearing Quacksalver’s voice was upsetting John. He was shuddering, and the fear in his eyes was obvious.  She had had it with Quacksalver herself! She stood up and yelled, “He _was_ getting the proper medical treatment until _you_ decided to step in and make things worse!”

 

“How dare you speak to me like that, you tainted…?”

 

“I’m not speaking to you _at all_ until you think long and hard about what you’ve done! I’ll call _Pinocher_ later!” With that, she turned off her cellular and placed it back in her bag. Then she sat down next to John and took a deep breath.

 

**ITALIA HOSPITAL…**

 

The doctors were indeed in Pinocher’s office…along with Chief Doctor Jameson, head of the Medical Council. An elderly man slightly younger than Quacksalver, even though he is considered too old to perform any surgical procedures, he has no problem doing whatever research is required to know what must be done. When he his not in his private office, he can be found in the Hospital Library doing what he loves: reading. As soon as news about a patient crashing through a seventh-floor window reached his ears, he immediately ordered an inquiry. After hearing both versions of the incident from the doctors, he demanded to hear from Mari Kanata. But since she disappeared along with John Doe, Pinocher suggested that they listen in while he called her from his office speakerphone.

 

Chief Doctor Jameson was hoping to actually talk to Miss Kanata, but Quacksalver put an end to that idea…for now, at least. Hearing Quacksalver call her ‘tainted’ definitely sparked his interest.

 

Pinocher wanted to jump over his desk and put Quacksalver out of everyone’s misery. Quacksalver, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to take charge of the situation. “We need to inform the police. An all-points bulletin is in order. This John Doe is obviously mentally unstable due to his amnesia. He also has the worst case of severe trypanophobia ever…”

 

“And that is exactly why I assured him that I would not use any needles. Using alternative methods of medication was the only way to ease his mind. That and Miss Kanata’s frequent visits…”

 

“Don’t you mean Miss Kanata’s frequent smuggling of food? Don’t think that I wouldn’t find out about it. She was deliberately bringing in extra food, despite the fact that we were providing sufficient food rations in accordance to hospital procedure.”

 

“His rumbling stomach could be heard throughout the entire floor. The food rations were not enough to satisfy his incredible appetite or his metabolism. Everything I did, and everything Miss Kanata did was to help John Doe in his recovery.”

 

“You do not know Miss Kanata, but I do! That child was trouble from the moment she was born…”

 

“ENOUGH!!!” Chief Doctor Jameson had definitely had enough. “I have heard enough from the both of you! I was hoping I could talk to Miss Kanata personally, but I see that’s not going to happen right now. We can only hope that she and John Doe are safe, wherever they are. In the meantime, I want to examine the case further. During which time, I do not want to hear another word from either of you.” With that, he made his way to the door. Just before closing it behind him he added. “Rest assured this is not over. The sooner they return to the hospital, the better.”

 

Pinocher sighed as he sat down at his desk. “Well, Quacksalver, I hope you’re satisfied.”

 

“I won’t be satisfied until those two are found! I can’t believe he won’t let me call the police! Mark my words, boy: neither one of them should be running loose!” Then Quacksalver took his leave.

 

Pinocher shuddered at how this situation was turning out. The hospital’s policy clearly stated that any patient brought in that could not be identified would be placed in the psychiatric ward until either the patient can remember who he or she is, or if someone – preferably a family member – can identify the patient and take responsibility for the patient’s care. This law was passed to prevent vagrancy.

 

Unfortunately, the Head of the Psychiatric Ward is none other than Dr. Quacksalver.

 

He knew that he was taking a chance with Mari Kanata and this John Doe. Not everyone was like Mari. But John Doe was clearly fearful of hospitals, and especially needles. And thankfully, she was willing to be there for him. 

 

The police still can’t seem to match John Doe’s fingerprints with anyone on their records. He supposed that it was some consolation that he was not an escaped convict and had no criminal record. But the fact that he was able to tackle a group of orderlies, bust through a solid concrete wall and jump into a tree while still injured really disturbed the young doctor. Those feats required incredible strength. He couldn’t help but fear for Mari’s safety.

 

And Pinocher could not overlook how John Doe made it down the tree so quickly when Quacksalver came after Mari. And the way John and Mari disappeared right after Quacksalver pulled a needle out of his pocket. It was like…

 

( _Magic…? Is John Doe some kind of magician?_ )

 

Pinocher moved from his desk and looked out his office window. There was one other thing… It looks like Quacksalver wants to commit both John Doe and Mari Kanata. He called her evil, ugly and tainted. It’s no secret she has a birthmark, and it’s clear they know each other…but what does Quacksalver really have against her?

 

**MILES AWAY (You’ll never guess where!)…**

 

That’s pretty much what John Doe was wondering as he sat there watching Mari try (and I do mean ‘try’) to calm herself. He didn’t say anything right then and there, but even when she stood up with the cell phone, he could hear that evil doctor call her ‘tainted’. He didn’t know what that word meant, but he could tell it upset her to be called that.

 

Mari knew she had to be strong for John’s sake, but she never thought she would ever run into Quacksalver again. She thought she had left him behind once and for all when she left West City…

 

If you must have a daughter, then first and foremost she must be beautiful…

_I knew I was different. Not a day went by without someone pointing that out. No one ever called me ‘beautiful’._

_I was a good girl…I did everything I was told to do… And yet, no matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, one thing was clear…_

_Nomi, my little sister, was always their favourite._

_It didn’t matter that I was first-born… No, wait! It did matter. It bothered my parents that I was their first-born; in fact, they_ hated _me for it. And all because, for reasons I never understood, I was born birthmarked. In their eyes – in everyone’s eyes – I was a freak…a monster…a stain on a gown which tainted what should have been the perfect wardrobe…_

“Mari? Are you okay? Mari?”

 

The sheer concern in John Doe’s voice brought her back.

 

She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. “Yes, thank you. Look, we can’t stay here. We should… Wait a minute…” A chill ran down her spine.

 

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

 

“Dear God… I don’t believe this! Those boulders… That hole over there…! We’re in… This is LABYRINTH CANYON!!! We’re right back where we started!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's safe to say that since Goku lost his memory, he has no memory of his powers, either. And that includes having 'Instant Transmission'. But losing one's memory, doesn't always mean losing one's powers.
> 
> Will he and Mari figure it out? And why does Quacksalver hate Mari so much?
> 
> More will be revealed in later chapters. Stay tuned...


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, let's see how everyone else is doing...

_**CHAPTER SEVEN** _

 

It was all Chi-Chi could do to hold onto her crying Goten while Yamcha and Krillin told her everything that had happened on what should have been Goten’s first safe, uneventful camping trip with his father and friends. They said that they had just settled in on one side of the island, when Pilaf and his gang arrived on the other side to look for something called a spellstone. Goku used his Kamehameha to destroy it, and it exploded. The island was destroyed, and Goku was nowhere to be found.

 

After living as a widow for seven years, she finally had her husband back…only to lose him once again. Deep down in the back of her mind she expected it would happen one day, just not so soon…and not like this.

 

That was over a week ago, and nothing has been the same since then.

 

The Z-gang felt awful about what happened that day, but none of them took it harder than the two young half-saiyans. They would have stayed at the camp like they were told to, but they were so curious about the spellstone that they just wanted to get one look at it. So they waited outside the cave, waiting for the fighting to stop. Their plan was once everything had settled down; they would go inside to have a peek at the spellstone before it had to be destroyed or buried or something. They never thought they would end up scaring Oolong back into the cave, causing the chain of events that would lead to Goku getting killed.

 

All Goten could think about since then was that he killed his own father, and he would never forgive himself for that.

 

Gohan was given time off from college once he had received the news about his father. He spent most of that time trying (emphasis on ‘ _trying_ ’) to cheer Goten up.

 

Chi-Chi knew Goten would never kill his father, but all her efforts to help her youngest were in vain. Goten could see how much she missed Goku, and if he had done as he was told, Goku still be alive. So she kept herself busy in the kitchen while Gohan did what he could upstairs.

 

When she heard Gohan coming downstairs, she plopped her plate back into the sink. “How did it go?”

 

“Not good, Mom. It’s like he’s lost all interest in anything fun. He won’t even touch his comics. He just sits at his desk and stares into encyclopedias; although I’m not sure whether he’s really reading them or just staring into them.”

 

Chi-Chi leaned on the sink and stared into its basin. “When you were his age, it always made my day to see you buried into your studies. That’s when I knew you were safe. It’s a mother’s duty to protect her child. When you were taken by Piccolo that year, not a day went by when I would see your empty bedroom and not feel so miserable. I know Piccolo has changed a lot since then; so has Vegeta, in fact. I can be in the same room with them and actually not be afraid. But back then, when I first found out about your father being from another planet where destruction and killing were the norm… I was so afraid that you’d pick up those traits. That’s why it bothered me when you were training to fight.”

 

Then she turned around to face Gohan. “At the same time, I understood that your father wasn’t raised like most people. After his grandfather died, it was just him living alone on this mountain until Bulma came along one day. But I loved him, Gohan. I still do. I’m glad I got to know him and have a family with him. When he came back after fighting Buu, I thought I’d be able to spend more time with him…” The tears that fell from her eyes could not be stopped, even if she wanted them to.

 

Gohan hugged his mother and said, “We all wanted that, Mom. We all did.”

 

**THINGS WERE NO BETTER at Capsule Corp. …**

 

When Trunks returned home, he gave a full confession about his role in Goku’s death. Vegeta and Bulma both knew deep down that Trunks and Goten were just curious about the spellstone – whatever that was – and that if anyone was to blame, it was Pilaf. But that did not change the way Trunks felt about what had happened. He punished himself with a month’s grounding: no TV, no loud music and an extra hour added to his training sessions.

 

So later that day Vegeta – after he had a long, grueling session with his son – met with Bulma in their bedroom. He sat on the bed and watched as Bulma had her full concentration on her laptop. No doubt she was doing research on spellstone. Bulma has no fighting skills whatsoever, but when he sees the way she focuses on her work…her deep blue eyes revealed the determination of a true saiyan warrior.

 

“Having any luck?”

 

Bulma sighs deeply, as though she had been holding her breath the whole time. “I’m afraid not. It really amazes me how that annoying little imp is able to learn about this spellstone thing. Where does he do his research?”

 

“By ‘annoying little imp’ you mean Pilaf, right? Tell me about him. You never mentioned him before.”

 

“I’m surprised he’s still alive after all this time. When I first encountered Pilaf, I was a teenager looking for the dragonballs for the very first time. I had already found two of them when I first met Goku, who had the four-star ball his grandpa left him. He wasn’t going to just part with it, so I convinced him to come with me on my quest. Then we met Oolong, Chi-Chi and her dad, Master Roshi, Yamcha and Puar. Just when we had almost all of the dragonballs, we were captured by Pilaf. It turns out he was searching for the dragonballs the same time I was. Pilaf almost made his wish to rule the world, except Oolong managed to stop him just in time…”

 

Vegeta raised an eyebrow. “Oolong? That pig knows how to fight?”

 

Bulma giggled. “Not at all, but that must have been his bravest moment. He intervened by wishing for underwear, of all things. Yes, I know… It’s a stupid thing to wish for, but he saved the world nonetheless. Pilaf, naturally, did not take it well. We were captured again right after that. I’ll never forget that moment. His castle had elaborate traps. We wound up in a room with a thick glass ceiling. It was designed to act like an oven once the sun came overhead. It was still night-time, and the moon was full… That’s when we realized that Goku – a sweet, super-strong little boy – was also a giant, savage monkey. He went crazy and destroyed the castle. We barely made it out. Fortunately, Yamcha figured out Goku’s weakness and had Puar transform into giant scissors to cut off Goku’s tail. He changed back…and had no memory of what had happened. I, personally, never saw Pilaf again after that.”

 

Suddenly Vegeta remembered the transmissions he received from Raditz. It was as though Kakarrot had no idea he could transform. “You didn’t tell Kakarrot about his transformation?”

 

“Just before he transformed, he told us how his grandpa had warned him about a giant monster coming out on a full-moon night. Grandpa Gohan died soon after when the monster had stepped on him. When Goku looked at the full moon, everything made sense. Once his tail had been cut off, we figured he would never transform again, so there was no point telling him that he had killed his grandpa. It would have broken his heart. A few years later, during his first Martial Arts Tournament, we discovered that his tail could grow back.”

 

Vegeta sighed. “I think he figured it out during my battle with him. I didn’t usually need to transform to fight my opponents. I remember trying to stop Gohan from transforming when I saw his tail. I would have if that silly samurai hadn’t distracted me. Gohan proved to be a handful as an Oozaru.” Amazingly, he can look back at that moment and grin a bit. He still could not believe that Yaijarobe was able to cut off his tail. Perhaps that samurai was not so silly after all.

 

“You know, now that you mention it…” Bulma wondered. “I’ve been meaning to ask… When you transformed, you didn’t lose your mind the way Goku and Gohan did. Did you have special training for that?”

 

“Not really. It’s just that we saiyans were taught about our special abilities before we were exposed to any full moons. So we knew what to expect during the transformations. One of our scientists had even found a way to create artificial moonlight for planets that did not have moons. Since Kakarrot had lost his saiyan memories, and was raised on a planet that knew nothing about saiyans, I guess his hidden power took a mind of its own.”

 

“That explains why Goku lost consciousness when he turned into the giant ape: he had no awareness of it. And when he changed back, he woke up like he just had a nap with no memory of what had happened. The transformation must take a lot out of him.”

 

“Yes… And now it seems that the camping trip has taken a lot out of Trunks. When we talked, he acted like he was waiting for me to execute him for killing Kakarrot. I guess I can’t blame him. Ever since that first battle, all I could think about was becoming stronger than Kakarrot. To be the ruler of all saiyans, you must be the strongest of them all. When someone outside of the royal bloodline turns out to be stronger, it meant he could make a challenge for the throne. No one wants to serve under a weak king. As next in line for the throne, it was my duty to be the strongest saiyan ever.”

 

Bulma could see the look of sadness in Vegeta’s eyes. She moved to the bed and sat next to her husband. As she gently rubbed his back, she said, “I understand now. When Goku proved to be stronger, it must have felt like you had let your entire bloodline down.”

 

Vegeta nodded. “It felt even worse on Namek. Frieza promised that as long as I served under him, he would not destroy my planet. I did everything he told me to, and yet he destroyed everything precious to me. My father, my home, and the kingdom I thought I would inherit… I had no choice but to take his abuse until I found a way to become even stronger than him. When I heard about the dragonballs, I thought I could wish for immortality without Frieza knowing, but the scouter signal had reached him, too. My best bet of destroying him was to become a super saiyan. I thought my being of royal blood was the advantage I needed. I was wrong. I had failed again. If not for Kakarrot… Bulma…can I ask you something?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“After we were wished back to Earth, after everything I did… Why did you invite me into your home? Why did you put up with me?”

 

“I admit I was taking a big chance at first, but something inside me said that if you had a chance to see what this planet had to offer, you’d think twice about destroying it.”

 

Vegeta escorted his wife to the bedroom window. As he looked out into the sunset, he gently hugged her and said, “It took me a long time to come to terms with making Earth my new home, and even longer to accept that Kakarrot was the strongest saiyan. But now I have. I just hope it won’t take Trunks that long to get over what happened.  When I see how he’s pushing himself… A few years ago, I would have been pleased with his progress, but now…”

 

Bulma hugged him as well. “It’s going to take time for him to heal from this. The best thing we can do right now is be here for him. In the meantime, I’m doing what I can to help him with his research. But deep down, I know Trunks wants to figure this out by himself.”

 

Indeed, he does…

 

Despite his aching body, he is in the family library, determined to undo the damage he did to his best friend’s family. At first he thought about finding the dragonballs, but his mom told him they would not work since they revived Goku once before. So far, he has learned how crystals can be found in many different parts of the world, and many different cultures believe that certain crystals possess magical or spiritual powers. If that’s the case, then perhaps finding another chunk of spellstone can bring Goku back.

 

He had to… He owed it to Goten.

 

**AND at Master Roshi’s place…**

 

“You can’t be serious!” Krillin could not believe what he was hearing, but Oolong was unwavering.

 

“I’m very serious, Krillin! Look, I know I’ll never be as strong as you and the others, but at least I’ll be better than I am now. Is it too much to ask to give me one chance at this?”

 

Master Roshi listened in from the staircase. Normally, he would be laughing his head off at the idea of Oolong wanting to learn martial arts…but since he knows about the camping trip, he understands what’s going through the little pig’s mind. Oolong is ashamed of the fact that his panicking lead to Goku’s demise, and Oolong knows the dragonballs can’t bring him back – nothing can bring Goku back. ( _The poor fool… Does he really think that by torturing himself through the same marital arts training that Goku did, he’ll redeem himself?_ )

 

Krillin was most likely thinking the same thing. “Look, Oolong… I’m not going to lie to you. Master Roshi’s training was no walk in the park for me or for Goku. Swimming with a giant shark is no fun, believe me…” Krillin remembers that all too well. He’ll never forget the first time Master Roshi told him and Goku to swim from one end of the lake to the other. It seemed like a simple exercise… But then the shark came out of nowhere and showed no sign of slowing down, even after they completed the laps. It was the first of many frightening swimming lessons…and after all these years, he wouldn’t be surprised if that same shark – or at least his kids – were still swimming in those waters. But in the end, it was worth it.

 

“I’m not asking for the extreme training! I just want to make myself a little stronger, so I can stop being a … a…” A deep breath, two clenched fists and eyes on the verge of tears later, Oolong fell to his knees and cried, “Let’s face it… I’m a coward! I always have been, and I always will be! It’s my fault Goku’s gone! If I wasn’t such a weakling…!”

 

“ALRIGHT! THAT’S ENOUGH!!!” Even Master Roshi has his limits. He came down the stairs to put a stop to the nonsense. “Now you listen to me, Oolong: You can’t keep shouldering all of the blame for what happened to Goku. You’re not the only one who feels guilty. Goten and Trunks are just as depressed as you are. They feel it’s their fault for scaring you, even though it was not their intention. Yamcha feels that he should have noticed that the spellstone was there when he first saw the island. Even Puar and Krillin feel they should have done more to stop Pilaf and his gang. But you’re overlooking who’s really responsible: Pilaf! Who wants to bet that he didn’t fully understand what he was messing with when he went looking for that spellstone? Even I’ve never heard of this spellstone, and I’ve been around for years.”

 

Suddenly Oolong had a thought. “What about Fortuneteller Baba? Do you think maybe she’d know something about it?”

 

Krillin was dumbstruck. ( _Why didn’t I think of that?_ )

 

Even Master Roshi was amazed. “That’s a great idea! Well…except for one thing: I haven’t been able to reach her lately, so I don’t know how she’s doing. I’ll keep trying, though.  In the meantime, Oolong… Are you still interested in martial arts training?”

 

“Yeah, I am. Really!”

 

“Well… I wouldn’t dream of putting you through the same training Krillin and Goku had when they were kids. But, I can at least set up a workout that you should be able to handle. But the main thing we should focus on is improving your shape-shifting skills so they can last longer. How does that sound?”

 

Oolong agreed. He would never bring up how he got himself expelled from shape-shifting school – and Roshi and Krillin never asked him – but he was willing to do whatever it took to redeem himself. If – heaven forbid – another threat to Earth came along, maybe this time, he’d be able to do something.

 

**BY THE WAY, at Itlaia Hospital…**

 

Chief Doctor Jameson had always considered himself to be a reasonable man. When he tells someone to do a certain thing a certain way, it’s for a certain reason. So when he told Quacksalver and Pinocher not to call the police, he felt confident that Miss Kanata would contact Pinocher again, and this time he would have a chance to talk to her and John Doe. He hoped that he could convince them to return without causing unnecessary panic.

 

So imagine how he felt when the Chief of Police came to his office and questioned him about an A.P.B. issued for an escaped mental patient with a possible hostage/accomplice.

 

Only one person had the audacity to undermine his instructions…

 

“QUACKSALVER!!! You’ve got a lot of nerve going behind my back with this!”

 

Quacksalver, on the other hand, was as cool as a cucumber. It’s like he was just waiting for the Chief Doctor to barge into his office. “I merely did what any sensible person would do in a situation such as…”

 

“I made it perfectly clear that no one was to do anything right now! I wanted to give them time to…”

 

“Time to do what? Flee the country? I tried to warn you about Mari Kanata, but you refused to listen. How do you think they were able to disappear the way they did? I’ll tell you how… It was magic! Evil magic! And that tainted child is full of it! I could tell you all kinds of stories about…”

 

“And right now, that’s all they would be…stories! Ever since the anti-vagrancy law came into play, it seems as though you have been starting a personal collection of mental patients. Need I remind you, Quacksalver, the only reason you’re head of the Psychiatric Ward is because no one else wanted the job at the time. But things are different now. There are people interested in trying out for your job the first chance they get. And another thing: John Doe is _not_ a mental patient. I have questioned the injured orderlies. He was still under Pinocher’s care when you decided to sneak up on him with a needle. I shudder to think what was really in that needle. Why do I have the feeling it was not really a sedative?”

 

Jameson could see the way Quacksalver’s eyes flinched at his question. It may not be evidence in court, but it was enough to convince Jameson he had ulterior motives. “So you thought you could take the liberty of having the police hunt them down like criminals, did you? Well, _I’ve_ taken the liberty of telling the Chief of Police _not_ to treat them like criminals. In fact, all they need to do is to have them contact me as soon as they’re found. In the meantime, you can consider yourself suspended pending further investigation. And if I find out what was really in that needle, the waiting list for your position will be one person shorter.”

 

Quacksalver could not believe what was happening. It felt like a bad dream when Jameson brought in two orderlies with boxes to gather his personal belongings and escort him out of the hospital. The next thing he knew, he was driving up to his cottage with two loaded boxes in the back of his car. He couldn’t even remember driving from the hospital.

 

All he knew was that Mari Kanata had once again made his life difficult… But this time, she was _not_ going to get away with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a little Dragonball Trivia for you... How did Oolong get expelled from Shape-Shifting School?


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time, on Lost Souls...
> 
> The Z-Warriors and their families were trying to deal with losing Goku; including Oolong, who had decided he was going to become the newest Z-Warrior.
> 
> Meanwhile, Goku had lost his memory, but he did not lose his fear of needles, his incredible strength, nor his instant transmission. He accidentally sent himself and Mari back to Labyrinth Canyon.
> 
> What happens now? Read on...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashbacks are "block-quoted"...

**_CHAPTER EIGHT_ **

 

John Doe was confused. “This is where it all…started?”

 

“I’m sure of it! This is where I found you! You had just made your way out of that hole when you collapsed, and I took you to the hospital. Does anything here look familiar? Anything at all?”

 

Mari helped him stand up. She was a little surprised that he could move about while still in casts. After a moment John said, “No, nothing. I’m supposed to have…lived here?”

 

“Labyrinth Canyon is filled with underground caves. I was living in one myself for a while. It’s not too far from here.”

 

John Doe lifted an eyebrow. “Why would _you_ need to live in a cave?”

 

( _Isn’t it obvious?_ ) “People who look like me are not always…accepted into society.” Mari could see that he was still confused. She lifted her hair a bit. “Have you seen anyone else with a mark like this?”

 

“No.”

 

“Where I’m from… My parents are high society people. High society is for rich people who have a lot of money to spend. And when you’re high society, you have to live by certain standards. Appearance is everything. A woman must be beautiful if she is ever to impress a man, especially a rich man. In high society, birthmarks are never beautiful…especially when it’s on the face for the world to see.”

 

“Is that what that other doctor meant when he said you were tainted?”

 

“Yes. Birthmarks are the result of skin disorders. It means that something is wrong with me. The thing is no one can figure out exactly what was wrong with me. Being called tainted and ugly was the least of my problems…”

 

> _I was five years old… It was time for bed. I was thirsty, so I headed to the kitchen for a drink of water. Even before Mom was expecting her second child, I had to learn to do a lot of things on my own…_
> 
> _Opening the fridge was easy. Opening a bottle of water was easy. The hard part was passing by my new baby sister’s room. Tucking Nomi in was Mom and Dad’s favorite evening ritual._
> 
> _I knew that babies need constant attention. I needed attention, too, when I was little. But Nomi wasn’t a baby anymore; she was three years old. The problem was how they always gave thanks for finally giving them the beautiful child they’ve always wanted. I knew if I said anything, I would only end up getting slapped on the ‘ugly side’ of my face. So I quietly returned to my room with my bottle of water, and had a few sips before going to bed…crying myself to sleep…_

“Mari… Why are you crying?”

 

Mari soon found herself dwarfed by John’s physique, with her face cupped in his cast-free hand. “He was wrong to call you those things. Ugly people don’t act the way you do. You’re not ugly, just…a little different, that’s all.”

 

His kind words, his gentle touch and his sweet little smile made it very difficult for her to pry herself away, but somehow she did…about two minutes later. She quickly made a grin and said, “I’m sorry, it’s just… That was…sweet of you to say that. You know what? We should have a look into that hole. You might still have some stuff in there that could help you remember.”

 

John Doe stood still while Mari carefully approached the hole on her hands and knees. “Mari… I’m still not sure I lived in a cave like you said. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

 

“Don’t worry, John. I’m not going inside. I just want to look through to see what can be… Hey, I see something!”

 

There was something in the hole: a small brown pouch. She tried to reach for it, but it was in too deep. She did not want to crawl in; John was in no condition to help her if something happened. So she did the next best thing… With her hand as far in the hole as she could, she concentrated on levitating the brown pouch into her hand. With John standing in the distance, he couldn’t see exactly what she was doing; which suited her nicely for the moment. But as she felt the pouch come to her hand, she knew that she would have to tell him the truth about her powers. After all, they would need them to get back to Italia City.

 

John Doe, in the meantime, kept looking at the scenery around him. On one hand, he’s sure he did not live in a hole in the ground. On the other hand, there’s something about all these big rocks…the tall cliffs…the clouds flying overhead…

 

> _I’m flying… I can fly! I’m free as a bird and light as a feather. I’m high in the clouds. The wind’s in my face, my bandages… They’re gone! No casts, no hospital gown… I’m wearing real clothes! Orange and blue… Is this some kind of uniform?_
> 
> _It’s nothing below but a rocky landscape. I look around for Mari… Who’s that guy? He can fly, too. He’s following me. I try to say Hi… Nothing! I don’t understand. Why can’t I say anything?_
> 
> _And now I’m on one of the tall rocks. I don’t see Mari anywhere, but that guy… He’s found a taller one to land on. His hair is like black fire. He’s wearing blue and yellow. His belt looks…furry. Wait… Is it a tail? I’d ask him, but I still can’t talk. All I can do is look at this guy as he looks down on me with that smirk. He looks so evil…_
> 
> _He knows me! He must know me, or he wouldn’t be here with me. This is great! Any moment now, he’ll say my name and… His mouth is moving, but I can’t hear his voice. My head is hurting. I don’t understand. Why can’t I hear what he’s saying? Why…?_
> 
> _Wait… He’s coming this way…he’s attacking me! Wait! Who are you? Why are you doing this? Wait…!_

Suddenly John fell backwards and landed on solid ground. His head was throbbing. He was back in his hospital gown and bandages. The guy who tried to kill him was gone.

 

“John, are you okay? What happened?”

 

Poor John Doe did not know what to think. It all happened so fast. He gently pulled Mari into his lap and held her. The last thing he needed was for her to disappear again. What if that guy came back?

 

Mari was in quite an awkward position. She was in the middle of Labyrinth Canyon. She was snuggly trapped in the embrace of a might-as-well-be-naked amnesiac. She could feel his tears as they fell from his cheeks and landed in her hair.

 

She could also read his mind.

 

She may not be familiar with teleportation, but a few months ago she discovered she had telepathy. She often wished she had it when she was younger. When John was staring into space, she wondered what was going through his mind. So she stared into his eyes in order to vision his thoughts. She saw what he saw. The shorter man with the black, fiery hair was determined to beat up John. She can’t think of anyone with that type of hairstyle. But what really grabbed her attention was that both men were able to fly. If that really was a memory of his past, then he must have some kind of power as well. That would explain what happened at the hospital. He didn’t just jump out the window…he _flew_ out. ( _He has powers just like I do! He just doesn’t know it. And that means…I didn’t teleport us here!_ He _did! Flying, teleportation… What other powers does he have?_ )

 

Mari knew how important it was to have a good cry - not to mention a loving hug - now and then, so she said nothing and waited for the gentle giant to calm down. Besides, he wasn’t hurting her. In fact, it felt kind of nice. Here they were, hiding out in Labyrinth Canyon…just them and their picnic basket… “John, are you hungry?”

 

His rumbling stomach answered the question for him. Mari pretended not to notice him blushing.

 

“Tell you what… Let’s head over to the picnic basket while the food’s still fresh. I’m sure you’ll feel better after you’ve eaten.”

 

Truth be told, John Doe was hoping they would stay in this position just a little longer, but his stomach would not be denied. So he released her so she could help him to the picnic basket. Mari had John sit in a shaded spot while she spread out the blanket and set up the picnic. John kept watch, in case that strange guy came back. It had to have been a dream, and yet it all felt so real. It must have really happened. But the more he thinks about it, the more his head throbs. He tried to rub his scalp, but it wasn’t easy with the bandages.

 

“John, are you okay?” Mari had just finished setting up the picnic.

 

“Mari… Why does everyone call me John Doe? No one there knows me, but that’s what everyone calls me. Is that really my name?”

 

“No. John Doe is the standard name for people with amnesia. John Doe is for men, and Jane Doe is for women.” She sat down next to John. “When babies are born, their parents would write their names on birth certificates and have them fingerprinted so they would have a legal identity – a name they can go by.  Everyone has different fingerprints. This information would then be recorded on a computer system. The police have been trying to find your fingerprints in the system, but so far they haven’t had any luck.”

 

“What are...fingerprints?”

 

( _Poor guy… It’s amazing what amnesia can do…_ ) She held her out her hand. “If you look at my fingers real close, you can see really thin lines taking shape. Those are fingerprints. And the shape they take makes them different from everyone else’s. Take a good look. Can you see them?”

 

John held her hand and was so fascinated with the tiny lines that he did not notice the phone ringing until Mari started talking into it.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Mari, dear… Are you alright?”

 

( _Dear God… Mrs. Folstam!_ ) “Yes, I’m okay. I…”

 

“The police came and told us there was an incident at the hospital, and that you and John Doe had disappeared!”

 

 “Yeah… The thing is…it wasn’t John’s fault. That crazy Dr. Quacksalver tried to shove a needle in him while he was sleeping, and…”

 

“Everyone here is so worried! If he’s hurting you…!”

 

“No! Please! If he was hurting me, I wouldn’t be able to talk to you! Tell everyone we’re okay. I promise I’ll explain everything when we get back. I promise. Please?”

 

“Well… Okay. But If I don’t hear from you soon, we’ll have no choice but to assume the worst.”

 

“We’ll be back soon. We’ll be okay. You’ll see. Bye.” Mari took a deep breath after hanging up. After she stuffed her phone back into her pocket, she remembered that John was still holding her hand. “Uh, John… I’ll need both hands to feed you.”

 

“Oh! Okay.” He finally let go of her hand, but he did not let go of the big, goofy grin he displayed as he scratched the back of his head. Mari could not help but smile at the sight of him.

 

The picnic was… How should I put this…? Mari had been to many kinds of dinner functions and even a few small parties – all of them to worship her mother’s beautiful daughter, Nomi – and was always reminded of the ‘proper eating etiquette’, even when she was doing it right. When it came to her bandaged behemoth, however… This man was definitely not afraid to chow down. And he was very grateful for the ‘snack’. A snack, he says…

 

After the picnic had been devoured and leftover garbage – no food, just wrappers and empty bottles – had been gathered into the picnic basket, Mari took a deep breath and said, “John, listen… Before everything at the hospital happened, I wanted to tell you that Mrs. Folstam, my landlady, wanted to offer you a job when you were well enough to leave the hospital. That was her on the phone earlier. She’s very worried. The police are looking for us. I’m sorry, but the sooner we head back the better.”

 

The thought of being sent back to the hospital made his goofy smile fade away rather quickly. His body shivered like he was freezing. Mari did not like the idea of facing Dr. Quacksalver any more than he did. She’s familiar with his ‘methods’. Doctors like him can make anyone afraid of needles…

 

Suddenly, she remembered the pouch. “Wait a minute! I found this in the hole back there. Have a look.”

 

John opened the pouch. “They look like beans. Did you see anything else?” And before Mari could answer, John pops one of the beans in his mouth.

 

Those beans were in that hole for more than a week, and John was munching on one like it was candy. Mari waited for him to spit it out, but he swallowed it with no problem. Seconds later…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone care to guess what happens next?


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I don't know if anyone noticed there was a bit of mature content in the last chapter. Well, in the interest of doing things right, I should mention that there will be even more mature content in this chapter.
> 
> You have been warned... Enjoy!

  _ **CHAPTER NINE  
**_

 

John Doe just ate one of the beans from the brown pouch. Never mind that they were buried underground for who knows how long. This guy can eat anything.

 

Mari waited for him to spit it out, but all of a sudden his body was engulfed by a deep reddish glow, as though his body caught on fire. John’s screams scared Mari. For all of her powers, she didn’t know what else to do but levitate herself a safe distance behind some boulders. Seconds later, there was an explosion. Mari created an energy shield around her.  She was safe, but all she could think about was John Doe being blown to bits. ( _What kind of beans were they?_ )

 

When everything had died down, Mari’s energy shield was buried under rocks and boulders. She had to concentrate carefully as she expanded her shield until the boulders were forced off her. When she was done – much to her shock – John was still standing, his bandages and casts were pieces scattered around him. The torn hospital gown was the only thing keeping him from being stark naked…well, sort of.

 

Mari could not believe it. Neither could John Doe as he examined his new-and-improved condition. “Wow…! Nothing hurts anymore! I don’t feel pain anymore! And that means… **NO MORE HOSPITALS!!! YA-HOOO!!!** ” He was so happy; he grabbed Mari and tossed her into the air…

 

…Way high up into the air.

 

John could only scratch his head as Mari became a spec in the sky. “Wow… I didn’t know I was that strong!”

 

Mari managed to get a good view of Italia City for about ten seconds before gravity took control of her body. ( _Please let him catch me…please let him catch me…please let him catch meeeeeee...!_ ) If she wasn’t in shock, she would have tried to levitate. But thankfully, seconds later, she was in the arms of her ‘gentle giant’. ( _He caught me… Thank God…he caught me…!_ )

 

He still held her in his arms as he said, “Mari… I’m sorry! I didn’t know… I don’t remember being…that…strong…”

 

Mari was still a bit shocked to talk, so she hugged John’s neck to let him know everything’s okay. For a brief moment, it all felt so familiar to him, so he savoured the moment. It would be at least five minutes before he could hear Mari asking to put her down.

 

Then John had an idea. “Those beans… You found them in that hole, right? Maybe there’s something else down there; something that has my name on it. I should check it out!” He immediately went to work digging his way into the hole, but the hospital gown made it uncomfortable. So he tossed it to Mari… “Hold this for me, will you?” …and went back to digging.

 

Mari averted her eyes. She could not believe how this day has turned out. All she wanted to do was treat her new friend/ward to a nice little picnic at the hospital. Mrs. Folstam’s job offer was an unexpected bonus. Suddenly they’re back at Labyrinth Cantyon, and one bean heals her friend/ward in seconds, when he should still be in the hospital for at least a few weeks. ( _Damn that Quacksalver! If not for him, the job offer would still be on the table. Well, maybe it’ll be worth it if he can find something that can help him regain his memory… Maybe…_ )

 

Suddenly, a small glow catches her eye. It fell from the dirt piling up from John’s digging. She quickly grabbed it. It was a red gem shard. ( _Oh my God…! It looks like…_ )

 

“Mari?”

 

Mari turned just enough to see John standing in front of her. He was covered in dirt, but it did little to ‘cover’ him. Keeping her eyes averted she asked, “Did you find anything?”

 

“Nothing. Maybe I didn’t live in there after all. Mari… Why won’t you look at me?”

 

( _I won’t look at you…because you’ve got all your goods on display!_ ) “It’s not proper for a lady to be looking at a naked man! That’s why clothing was invented! Doesn’t it bother you that you don’t have a shred of clothing to your name?”

 

“It bothers me that I don’t even have a name. You told me why they call me John Doe, but… I don’t like it.”

 

Mari had obviously touched a nerve. ( _Get a grip, Girl! If he can look at your birthmark, you can look at his nakedness…or at least_ try _to …_ ) “I’m sorry. It’s just that… You don’t know what it’s like to be ugly. Look at you, with your clear skin and big muscles. Can I see your hands? All that digging and you still have your fingernails? Aside from your tail, you’re a…a…A… **TAIL?** ”

 

Lo and behold, a long, brown monkey tail had sprouted from John’s back. Most likely from that bean he ate. Mari shuddered at what other side effects may occur if she lets him eat another. John Doe, however… All he could say about it was, “How about that?”

 

“You don’t mind the tail? How does it feel?”

 

“It feels…okay. I don’t know why, but…it doesn’t bother me.”

 

Mari sighed. “Okay… Well, one thing’s for sure. Those beans have some kind of magic in them.”

 

“What’s magic?”

 

“It’s… Well, it’s like a powerful force that makes you do things people wouldn’t normally be able to do.”

 

“Like the way you flew? And how you pushed those rocks off you?”

 

“You saw that…? Then, I guess there’s no point keeping it a secret anymore. I’m not sure how it happened, but I have magic powers. But you still need to wash up. My cave is not far from here. It’s near a river where I used to bathe. I’ll explain on the way.”

 

Since there was no food left in the picnic basket, John took the liberty of stuffing his hospital gown inside it. He’d rather be naked than wear that thing again. He carried the basket as they walked together. As Mari led the way, she could not believe what was happening. Here she was in the middle of Labyrinth Canyon, alone with a man who did not mind being naked…did not mind having a monkey’s tail…and – most importantly – did not mind her having a birthmark. All she could do now was hope that he did not mind her having magic powers…

 

…And she _really_ hopes that he does not notice her blushing.

 

**MEANWHILE, at Pilaf’s castle…**

 

After since the disaster on that island a while back, Pilaf was in the worst mood ever. Mai and Chow were smart enough to stay out of his way, and they kept themselves busy. Mai maintained camera surveillance, and Chow put his dog army through vigorous training régimes. At least he could never accuse them of slacking.

 

A week ago they had been summoned to his throne room. They had spent five minutes waiting patiently on bended knees while their emperor smiled at a silvery metal box on is lap. Neither spoke, but they both had the same thought… ( _Could he possibly have another plan at world domination?_ )

 

After a deep breath, Emperor Pilaf spoke. “No doubt you all remember what happened not too long ago, concerning what should have been the greatest achievement of my life. But another opportunity has shown itself…”

 

Chow and Mai each exchange a quick glance. You could see the sweat drops fall from their foreheads in unison.

 

Pilaf continued, “…And by ‘another opportunity’, I mean I have another chance to claim the power of the spellstone.”

 

Chow spoke. “But, sire… The spellstone was destroyed when Goku blasted it. There’s nothing left of it now.”

 

Pilaf raised his hand to quiet Chow. He hopped off his throne, placed the metal box in front of his minions and said, “Pay attention, both of you! You both should remember when my castle was first destroyed by that giant monkey. Well… During the extensive and expensive repairs, a discovery was made.” He pointed to the metal box. “This box was hidden within the walls. Of course, back then I was more absorbed with collecting the dragonballs, so I kept it in storage. A few weeks ago, I decided to take a gander into this little box, and what I found were scrolls. I admit the handwriting was rather illegible, but one scroll made up for it. It was a treasure map. If I can’t be ruler of the world, I could at least be the richest. After carefully examining the other scrolls, I learned about the legend of the spellstone. Had it not been for Goku and his friends, the world would be settling into the Pilaf Dynasty right now.

 

“Since then, while you two have been doing…whatever, I began to ponder my future. Goku may be dead, but his friends were still out there. That meant that any chance of the Pilaf Dynasty coming to light was slim to none. All I had to show for myself was the spellstone pendant I paid good money for. As it turns out…it’s all I need.”

 

He pulled the spellstone pendant out from his pocket. The pendant glowed and pointed itself toward the metal box. Pilaf opened the box and revealed three small spellstone shards. They glowed in the presence of the pendant. “You see, my loyal subjects, the spellstone was not destroyed. It was merely shattered into tiny pieces, or shards. Thanks to this pendant, I was able to find these three shards which had conveniently landed around the castle. And once I find the remaining shards, I will use their power to create the Pilaf Dynasty once and for all. Now prepare the airship. We will begin the search in one hour.”

 

Mai and Chow bowed in unison. “Yes, sire.”

 

Hours later, the Spellstone Scavenger Hunt was in full swing. Pilaf figured that the shards dispersed to various parts of the world, and he was determined to find each and every shard. And with his pendant acting as a shard-radar, he and his minions were doing quite well. Some were spotted just lying on the ground like pebbles. Some were embedded in stone cliffs. There were a few that required diving underwater, but – as far as Chow was concerned – they were easy to retrieve compared to the few that were guarded by birds who thought they were pretty enough to brighten up their nests.

 

And now, Pilaf had collected fifteen shards. Chow had collected ten bumps on his head and twenty-three bruises. Even Mai managed to pull a muscle or two in service of her emperor. Pilaf was so delighted with his collection so far, he decided to take a little break in a small island, after Mai scanned the area to make sure it was uninhabited. Why take chances when everything is going smoothly?

 

Pilaf was sitting nice and comfortably under the shade of some trees admiring his shard collection, when Chow suddenly asked, “Sire…wouldn’t it be easier if we used the dragonballs to put the spellstone back together again?”

 

After a moment of silence, a huge mallet appeared in Pilaf’s hand, and he used it to add another bump to Chow’s collection. Mai could not believe how Pilaf was able to do that. The mallet was even bigger than Pilaf, and a moment later, the mallet had vanished into thin air.

 

Pilaf took a breath and said, “Listen, minions, and listen good. Goku may be dead, but Goku’s friends are still alive. Goku’s friends know about the dragonballs. In fact, they make it their business to protect the dragonballs. If we were to go after the dragonballs, Goku’s friends will surely find out. Now, what do you think Goku’s friends would do if they found us? Care to guess? I’ll tell you what they’ll do… **THEY’LL KILL US!!!** ”

 

_They’ll kill us…They’ll kill us…They’ll kill us…_ Pilaf’s scream was enough to scare away the birds nesting in the overhead trees. After a deep sigh, Pilaf said, “Now then… We’re doing quite well on our own. It won’t be long before we gather all the shards and put the spellstone back together. But each shard contains a small amount of power. The mallet I used to knock some sense into Chow came from the magic of the spellstone shards. That was just a mere sample of what I can do. First we’ll retrieve the spellstone shards, and _then_ we’ll deal with Goku’s friends and the dragonballs! Now, let’s get going. The sooner we complete the spellstone again, the better.”

 

Pilaf led the way to the airship while Mai carried Chow. Sometimes Chow made her wonder if he likes to feel Pilaf’s wrath.

 

**BACK AT THE ISLAND (or what’s left of it!)…**

 

He couldn’t help it. He just couldn’t help it.

 

No matter how hard he tried, Yamcha would always find himself back at that island…or what’s left of it.

 

It was his idea to come to this place. It wasn’t the first time the guys got together and went camping, but it was usually in the mountains. When Yamcha first came across the island, it looked like a great place for camping. It was uninhabited; they should have had the place all to themselves. Everything was going great…and then Pilaf found something called spellstone. After that, everything was destroyed…literally.

 

Nowadays Puar spends his days at Master Roshi’s. It’s so hard to believe that Oolong wants to learn martial arts, but Puar swears that he’s doing pretty well for himself. Puar is even helping him with shape-shifting.

 

If Oolong can work on getting stronger, then surely Yamcha could. But no matter what he set out to do he would always wind up back at the scene of the crime. He would stare at the tide pouring water into the crater that was once a beautiful island. And he would feel so miserable…

 

“Why are you doing this to yourself?”

 

Yamcha was so wrapped up in self-pity; he did not even notice Piccolo hovering less than three feet behind him. Gohan broke the news to him about Goku. As much as he misses his friend, it was clear that Yamcha was taking it even worse. When Yamcha finally turned to face him, Piccolo could barely see his facial scars underneath the thick stubble.

 

“Yamcha… No one blames you for what happened. Pilaf awakened a power he knew nothing about. His determination to rule the world clouded his judgment…”

 

“I’m supposed to be a skilled warrior who is able to sense energy. Why couldn’t I detect that spellstone?”

 

“I believe that the spellstone was lying dormant all these years. Goku didn’t sense it either, remember? And Pilaf wasn’t there at the time. You both thought the island was safe for camping. None of us wanted to lose Goku. Do you really think that coming here day after day will bring him back?”

 

After a few minutes of staring into each other’s eyes, Yamcha said, “I keep telling myself it was Pilaf’s fault…but it doesn’t make me feel any better. I’m supposed to be a powerful fighter, but ever since that day when Frieza came, I began to realize just how weak I really was. I still can’t fathom how strong a saiyan can become, and as they train, they only get even stronger. I remember checking out Vegeta’s gravity room for myself. After getting a dose of extra gravity, I knew there was no way I could keep up with them. That’s why I eventually gave up fighting. I supported the others during the battles, but I knew it would be a matter of time before I became a liability…”

 

“Stop it, Yamcha! That’s not true, and you know it! Remember the Cell Games? It took everyone’s help to destroy Cell, including yours. You’ve been a good friend to Goku and everyone else. We all miss him. We’d like nothing more than to be able to wish him back, but we can’t. You didn’t know about the spellstone. None of us did. Even I’ve never heard of it. If you think you’re depressed, think about Trunks and Goten. Trunks has been punishing himself until he can find out what he can about that spellstone. It’s slowly consuming him. And Goten…” Piccolo does not make showing emotions a habit, but it took everything he had not to cry. “…He blames himself for listening to Trunks. Everyone wonders whether those two will ever recover from this and start being friends again.”

 

If Yamcha did not feel bad before, he did now. He had no idea the boys were taking Goku’s death so badly. Maybe Bulma was right after all… Maybe he did only think of himself…

 

Something caught his attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small light shining from the island crater. He went down to investigate. Piccolo stayed in the air as Yamcha dove into the water.  A moment later, Yamcha emerged and flew back up to Piccolo. He opened his hand to reveal a small red stone.  “Check this out. It’s the same colour as that spellstone. I’m thinking if it’s a piece of it, then…”

 

“You should give it to Trunks. It may be just the thing he’s looking for. Bulma can help him analyze it. But be careful, Yamcha. If it is spellstone, we don’t know what kind of power it has.”

 

“I’ll be careful. I promise.” With that, Yamcha flew as fast as he could to Capsule Corp.

 


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taking so long to update. Job-searching proved to be nearly impossible. Fortunately, one of my freelance gigs has taken me back for another season. I can only hope that perhaps they'll consider a long-term position this time. But for now, I'll take what I can get.
> 
> In the meantime, please enjoy...

_**CHAPTER TEN** _

 

Yamcha had it all planned.

 

He was going to go straight to Capsule Corp., show the shard to Bulma, and the two of them would present it to Trunks. Then Trunks and Bulma would do their analysis – or whatever scientist stuff she did. And even though it won’t bring Goku back, it might help to learn something about spellstone. And after that, he would go tell Goten all about it. Perhaps the two boys can finally patch things up and be the friends they were meant to be.

 

He knew exactly what he wanted to say to Bulma. His speech was all set. All he had to do was knock on the front door, and everything would go as planned. Who opened the door…? Vegeta. And the look on Vegeta’s face made him wonder if maybe…just maybe he should have shaved first.

 

“Yes…? Can we help you?”

 

Yamcha knew it was a while since he came by, but how could Vegeta not recognize him? Was his power level…that…low?

 

Then Bulma came to the door. “Vegeta, who’s there…? Yamcha? Is that you?”

 

It took a moment or two, but Yamcha did manage to make his way through the door after Vegeta stepped back to let him in; that look of disgust still in his face. As Yamcha walked behind Bulma as she led him to the living room, he caught a glance at a mirror. Then he understood. He needed more than just a shave. His face, his clothes… He looked a total mess. ( _Well…I’m here. Can’t stop now. Remember why you’re here. Think of the boys…_ )

 

Bulma broke the silence. “Yamcha… Are you okay?”

 

“Uh…Yeah. Listen…Piccolo told me… Trunks and Goten… Have they been...okay?”

 

Bulma sighed as they sat on the sofa. “No, actually. Trunks has been punishing himself ever since it happened. He’s been burying himself in his research, trying to find out anything on spellstone. My guess is if he can find out what it is and where to find another piece; he could use it to bring back Goku. Chi-Chi called me yesterday. She’s beside herself trying to help Goten feel better. Gohan has to return to college soon. He won’t be able to concentrate knowing his brother is still depressed.”

 

Yamcha noticed the look on Bulma’s face. She was clearly on the brink of tears. It was now or never. “Well, the thing is… Ever since that day, I’ve been trying to move on, but I always found myself back at that island where it all happened. I couldn’t explain it… I guess I kept wishing that it didn’t really happen. But after Piccolo told me about the boys, I spotted something…” Yamcha reached into his pocket and pulled out the shard.  “I found this. I’m sure it’s a piece of that spellstone. Maybe you and Trunks…” His well-prepared speech was cut short by Bulma’s hugging and sobbing.

 

“Thank you, Yamcha! Thank you so much! Wait here! I’ll go get Trunks!” She hurried out the living-room and up the stairs.

 

Yamcha stayed on the sofa. He stared at the spellstone shard. He wondered for a moment if he was really doing the right thing. He wanted to make things right between the boys. They were the best of friends. But what if this tiny piece of crystal turns out to be nothing more than just a tiny piece of crystal? What if he’s getting everyone’s hopes up for nothing?

 

He couldn’t believe he was feeling this way. He’s a Z fighter, one of Earth’s Special Forces. He’s fought in tournaments. He’s been on so many adventures. And he’s visited Capsule Corporation so many times that he’s lost count. He should not be feeling afraid.

 

But he was afraid. He was very afraid. And as he looked up, he knew why.

 

Vegeta stood right in front of him.

 

**Meanwhile, at ITALIA HOSPITAL…**

 

“Has anyone heard anything new?”

 

“No. And frankly, I don’t know whether to be afraid or jealous…”

 

 “I, for one, am jealous. If not for Quacksalver, I’d be sponge-bathing that man right now!”

 

“Shhh…! Not so loud, girl! Do you want the doctors to hear?”

 

The nurses tried to keep it down, but it didn’t matter, really. Pinocher was at a nearby table, and all attempts to enjoy his lunch were failing miserably. The whole hospital was abuzz about John Doe and the mask-faced woman who disappeared with him. He could not go anywhere without someone talking about John Doe overpowering the orderlies, jumping out the seventh-story window, landing in a tree on the _other_ side of the quad, climbing _down_ a tree in the blink of an eye, and finally… _disappearing_ in front of a crowd with Mari Kanata right behind him. And all the while…he’s bandaged from head to toe with one arm and both legs in casts. Everyone had a comment about it, but nobody had an explanation for it. It just didn’t make sense.

 

He packed up his lunch and went back to his office. Hopefully, with the door closed, he might be able to have a quiet meal. Besides, this way he can check his messages to see if Mari tried to call him back. Then all he’d have to do is call Chief Doctor Jameson, and they’d both help convince John Doe to come back. It’ll be safer now that Quacksalver has been suspended.

 

Still, he had a bad feeling about how everything had happened. In fact, the whole situation had been strange from the start. Mari Kanata was one woman who was able to drag a huge man all by herself to her car, yet it took three grown men to carry him from the car. It’s no secret that some people are stronger than others, but just how much ‘inner strength’ does she have? And then – as much as he hated to think about it – he had to consider what Quacksalver said. He said Mari had evil magic. Did she use magic to save John Doe? That would make sense.

 

So far he’s had no mew messages from Mari, but there was one from Quacksalver: “ _Pinocher, please listen… You cannot trust Ayamari. That’s right! Her real name is Ayamari Kanata! I know her! I’ve had to deal with her behavior for years! She lies about her name; she lies about a lot of things. She’s evil! For all we know, she’s responsible for John Doe’s injuries. Please, Pinocher! You must get Jameson to listen to me! Who knows what will happen if we don’t stop her!_ ”

 

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. It was Chief Doctor Jameson. “Has there been any word from Miss Kanata?”

 

“No, sir… But you should hear this.” He played Quacksalver’s message again. “I just came back from the cafeteria, and I hear this.”

 

“I suppose I should not be surprised. So tell me… Do you think she’s evil?”

 

“No, not at all.  In fact everything she’s done for John Doe tells me she’s anything but evil. But… I don’t like the way Quacksalver’s trying to raise suspicion. Sure we weren’t there when John Doe was injured, but the extent of his injuries does indicate that he could have been buried in a cave-in. The few remains of his clothing were covered in dirt. That doesn’t mean Mari – or Ayamari – was responsible.”

 

“True. And people have been using nicknames for centuries. But I’ll feel better when I’ve spoken with her. In the meantime, could you save that message? And if he calls again, please let me know.” With that, he showed himself out.

 

Whenever someone needs to contact Chief Doctor Jameson, the first place to look for him is in the hospital’s library. He may not be able to perform delicate surgeries anymore, but he makes a point to keep himself up to date with the latest medical discoveries and techniques. This enables him to stay on as an advisor for the younger doctors with more able hands.

 

As he gathered a few medical books and sat at his favourite table, he wondered how he was going to deal with Quacksalver. For the longest time he had been tolerant of the way he carried on. Now he began to think that he should have dismissed him a lot sooner. Patients with mental disorders can be unpredictable at times, but Quacksalver does not have the highest success rate when it comes to treating patients. He cannot ignore the fact that Quacksalver tried to force a needle on a patient that was not in his care. Jameson began his research on trypanophobia. People with severe trypanophobia tend to also fear hospitals. It made sense; hospitals have doctors who use needles. From what Pinocher had told him, this John Doe is severely trypanophobic. Having a doctor come out of nowhere and suddenly jab a needle without warning could make anyone afraid.

 

Another thing that bothered him about this case was that the police still couldn’t find a name for this man. His fingerprints were not in the system. To some degree that was a good thing; he was not a criminal with a prison record. But at the same time no one knew who he was. He had no family, no friends. He was a loner. Whatever secrets he kept to himself are lost to him, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll get them back. The law demands that once his wounds healed, he would have been placed in the psychiatric ward.

 

He would have been in Quacksalver’s care.

 

Jameson did not want to think that Quacksalver would deliberately threaten a patient’s mental health, but since John Doe was not in his care when he tried to administer the needle, and there was no telling what was really in that needle, then it was safe to say that Quacksalver was not acting in the patient’s best interest. His actions put six orderlies in hospital beds. Jameson should have suspended Quacksalver much sooner. Maybe now Quacksalver’s patients might actually have a chance at recovery.

 

But what bothered Jameson the most right now was Quacksalver’s claim that Mari Kanata uses evil magic.  Right now, it’s the only way to explain how she and John Doe disappeared the way they did.

 

Chief Doctor Jameson has always considered himself to be a man of science. Everything in life happened with some kind of scientific explanation. Magic was nothing more than the art of illusion – a source of entertainment to boggle the minds of children. People transforming into animals was the stuff of made-up fairy tales. Mythical creatures were just creatures of myth. It was just not possible for anyone to just disappear like that.

 

But they did.

 

“Excuse me, sir…” Pinocher lightly tapped his shoulder. “… The Chief of Police is here. And I think we should try and call her ourselves while he’s here. It’ll be getting dark soon, and the police still can’t find them.”

 

**And, at LABYRINTH CANYON…**

 

John Doe did not care that they were miles away from civilization. He did not care that a magic bean he ate gave him a monkey’s tail in exchange for healing his wounds. He did not even care that he was naked – it was that or the hospital gown and he did _not_ want the hospital gown. He stuffed it in the picnic basket, and carried it while they trekked through the canyon. All that mattered to him was that his friend Mari was able to move huge boulders out of the way just by looking at them. “So… How come you have magical powers?”

 

The pathway ahead was clear enough, so Mari was able to give her power a rest. She needed a moment to take an aspirin. After that, she said, “The truth is… My grandfather once told me that when I was born, I had this strange mark on my face and it scared everyone who looked at it. My younger sister, Nomi, didn’t have a mark on her. Our parents were so relieved to finally have the beautiful daughter they always wanted.  It was like I no longer existed…except when there were chores to do. My sister never had to do anything she didn’t want to do.”

 

As Mari told her story, John noticed her clothing. The nurses at the hospital wore tighter clothing; as if they liked showing off the shapes of their bodies. Mari’s sweater was looser, maybe a bit too big for her. Her pants legs were wide, too. She did not like showing off her body.

 

Mari continued. “During my school years, I was either avoided or made fun of. Everyone was afraid of this mark on my face, and there was nothing I could do about it.  I spent my free time away from everyone, which turned out to be a good thing. That was when strange things happened. I would reach for a book, and it would fly into my hand. I could make things float in the air and land where I chose. I realized that concentration made it work, and I used this newfound power to my advantage. With all the homework I had to do, my powers made my backpack much lighter. It also helped at home, too. Having to do my chores _and_ Nomi’s chores became much easier. My parents barely noticed. Making sure Nomi stayed beautiful was their main concern. At first it bothered me that everyone liked her more than me, but figuring out my powers became my main concern. Let Nomi have all the beauty… I had something even better.”

 

A little further onward, they reached the top of the cove. That’s when John saw the fish.

 

“Okay, here we are. Once we’re down on the beach, you can… What the…?” A huge splash caught her attention. Whatever it was, it was just outside her ‘pool area’. She looked behind, and all she found was the picnic basket. John Doe had jumped what must have been fifty-something feet from where they were. ( _Whoever he is…he’s ready for the Olympics._ ) She grabbed the basket and headed for the cove.

 

Mari knew about the fish that swam here. They were big enough to swallow her whole. So for anyone – even someone as strong and muscular as her monkey-tailed warrior – to just dive in like that is an act of pure insanity. By the time she reached the beach, there was still no sign of her naked wild man. She threw off her sweater and pants and levitated over the water to go in after him. That’s when the wild man emerged from the water and headed back to the beach…with a fish nearly twice his size in tow. Once he was only knee-deep in water, he took a firm grip of the fish’s tail and threw it onto the beach. The fish stopped moving.

 

John took a good look at his catch. “Well, this will do for now. I’ll get the bigger one later.”

 

( _Bigger one…?_ ) Was she hearing right? Mari could only stay where she floated while John went straight to work. He hauled a nearby felled tree over like it was light as a feather. Then he gathered some huge rocks and formed a circle. He ripped off branches from the tree and made most of them into firewood, rubbing two of them to start the fire. Mari was very impressed with how he dug a small hole with his hands, shoved one end of the tree into the fish’s mouth and shoved the other end into the hole. The fish was slanted over the fire and stayed in place.

 

Mari stayed in the air and out of his way. He did everything as though he knew what he was doing. Maybe he was having a flashback and just not aware of it yet. If she interfered now, he might go blank and the moment would be ruined. And as much as she hated to feel this way, it was refreshing to see someone else doing all the work for a change. She remembered how Nomi would just sit around, sip lemonade and relax while she had to do everything herself. Asking Nomi for any kind of help meant getting a smack on the face from Mother – right on the mark.

 

> “ _How dare you treat your sister this way? Do you want her to get injured? She has what it takes to make it in this world. I will not allow you to ruin her chances the way you ruined your own…_ ”

 

No matter what she did, it was always the same. Nomi was everything Mother wanted in a daughter…she was beautiful, and Mari was nothing more than a big, ugly birthmark.

 

John Doe went back to the water to wash off the dirt. Then he noticed Mari above the water. Without her clothing, he could see her arms and legs were more muscular than the nurses. Her muscles were not as big as his, but she didn’t need to wear big clothes.  “Hey, Mari! Come on down. We’re having fish tonight.”

 

( _Tonight…!_ ) The full moon was rising. It’s getting dark! The hospital! Mrs. Folstam! The _police_! The thought of anyone finding them like this almost made her fall into the water. She levitated her way back to the dry sand and reached into her bag for her cell. “John, listen… I know you don’t like the hospital, but…”

 

The next thing she knew, John was on his knees hugging Mari’s hips. His head was practically resting on her stomach. Mari could feel his tail wrapped around the back of her legs. She could swear he was… _crying_? “Mari…I’m begging you. Don’t take me back there. _Please_!”

 

“John, I…”

 

“I can’t stand needles! He promised no needles! But he…he…!”

 

“JOHN! Listen to me!” She cupped his face in her hands. He _was_ crying. “The doctor who had the needle was _not_ your doctor! _Your_ doctor was Doctor Pinocher! He kept his promise once he understood you didn’t like needles. You can trust him. The other doctor… If I had known Quacksalver was there, I would have taken you elsewhere. What he did was wrong, and I’m sorry he put you through that. But please understand something: Everyone back at Italia City is worried about us. Even the police are looking for us. The longer we hide, the more people will worry. They’re worrying because they think you’re still badly hurt. If we let Doctor Pinocher – _your_ doctor – see you now, everyone will stop worrying and call off the search. And if you tell them what Quacksalver did, Pinocher will make sure he never does it again. Not all doctors are like Quacksalver.” ( _Thank God!_ )

 

Even though John had a firm bear hug on her hips, he was surprisingly gentle. It felt good, in fact. That’s why she was able to give him a reassuring smile. “You can trust me, John. You can trust Pinocher. I trust Pinocher.”

 

It took a moment, but John was eventually able to release her just enough for him to stand up. Once he was on his feet he brought her close to him again. She could still feel his tail hugging her. “I…I’m sorry. I…I can’t stand needles, and I don’t know why. Back there, the doctor… _my_ doctor said you were coming. I stayed in bed and waited for you. It felt good waiting for you. I felt like I could sleep. Then he…that other doctor came…with those men. They grabbed me. I saw the needle… Everything happened so fast! I had to get out of there. I… Mari, your back… Is that another birthmark?”

 

_My shoulder…! I had forgotten…!_

> _I was sixteen years old…_
> 
> _I had just finished my bath and was drying myself off. Then Mother barged in with two maids at her heels._
> 
> _“Don’t even think about it, young lady. Nomi told me everything. That awful mark on your face is bad enough, but now you have marks growing all over your back? Well, I’ve had enough, understand? You’re not going anywhere until those hideous marks are_ gone _!”_
> 
> _There were no marks on my back, but Mother wouldn’t listen. She never did. The maids held me in the tub while Mother dunked my head underwater, scrubbing my back with a floor brush…_
> 
> _The next thing I knew, I was facedown in my bed. My upper back and right shoulder were bandaged. I could hear Mother crying; wondering what she did to deserve such an ugly child. When Father finally came in my room, he kept saying that I should forgive Mother. It didn’t matter that I was in constant pain; all that mattered was that I forgave Mother._

 

Forgiveness meant she couldn’t tell anyone what her mother had done to her. Forgiveness meant having Quacksalver make house calls to rub some useless cream on her back instead of going to a hospital. Forgiveness meant having to wear baggy clothes to hide the bandages. Forgiveness meant…being even more of a freak than she was before…

 

After all those years struggling to prove that she was more than just a birthmark, her mother ruined everything. And her father let her get away with it.

 

She had forgotten. For a brief moment she had forgotten all about it. But then that painful memory – one of many – came flooding back into her mind. There was no stopping the tears as John cupped her face in his hand and made her look him in the face as he said, “Mari… I’m sorry.”

 

_He’s_ sorry? Her mother never apologized for what she did that night. It was too much. She wrapped her arms around him and let the tears fall from her eyes. It felt good to cry. It didn’t matter that he was naked. It didn’t matter that they were in the middle of nowhere. It didn’t matter that the cell phone was ringing. It didn’t matter that the fish was burning…

 

The fish was burning!


End file.
